The attack on devotees at the Hazrat Shah Ali Baghdadi shrine has intensified concerns over increasing violence against Sufi institutions and religious minorities…reports Asian Lite News
A leading international human rights organisation has condemned the recent attack on devotees and the vandalism of a shrine in Bangladesh, warning that rising impunity and the failure to hold perpetrators accountable are fuelling religious extremism in the country.
Justice Makers Bangladesh in France said the assault on devotees at the shrine of Hazrat Shah Ali Baghdadi in Dhaka, along with the attack on worshippers attending a peaceful weekly religious gathering on the night of May 14, represented a serious threat to religious freedom, cultural heritage and Bangladesh’s long standing Sufi traditions.
Citing eyewitness accounts, the organisation alleged that armed attackers linked to the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Chhatra Shibir entered the shrine premises carrying sticks and launched a coordinated assault on devotees, causing panic and injuring several people.
The rights body further alleged that police officers stationed outside the shrine failed to intervene despite the violence unfolding in front of them.
“Some people came with sticks… they created complete chaos. People started running everywhere. I was trying to get out through the main gate when they hit me on the head,” one injured victim was quoted as saying by the organisation.
Justice Makers Bangladesh in France stated that followers of the shrine viewed the attack as part of a broader pattern of violence and vandalism targeting shrines and Sufi institutions across Bangladesh since August 2024.
According to the organisation, more than 100 shrines have reportedly come under attack during this period, raising concerns about threats to Bangladesh’s tradition of religious pluralism, tolerance and communal harmony.
“This incident is not isolated. It is part of an alarming and systematic wave of violence, intimidation and vandalism targeting shrines, Sufi institutions and religious minorities across Bangladesh since August 5, 2024,” said Shahanur Islam.
“Unfortunately, none of the perpetrators have been brought to justice,” he added.
The rights body expressed concern over what it described as a growing climate of impunity surrounding attacks on religious minorities and Sufi sites, warning that such incidents undermine the rule of law and basic human rights protections.
It called on the Bangladeshi government to launch an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation into the attack on the Shah Ali Baghdadi shrine and ensure that those responsible are identified, arrested and prosecuted.
The organisation also urged authorities to strengthen protection for shrines, religious institutions and worshippers across the country while taking firm action against rising religious extremism and politically motivated violence.Bangladesh shrine attack sparks alarm over rising religious violence
