Published: 12:10 AM, 16 May 2026 Last Update: 12:20 AM, 16 May 2026
Who attacked Shah Ali shrine?
A group of people have attacked and vandalised the shrine of Hazrat Shah Ali Baghdadi in Mirpur during an Urs or religious ritual on Thursday night.
Several devotees who were present at the shrine claimed that the attackers were affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir.
However, the local Member of Parliament from Jamaat-e-Islami, Mir Ahmad Bin Qasem (Barrister Arman), denied that any members of his party were involved.
He claimed that what happened was part of an "anti-drug operation" by police.
Police officials have also given different versions of what took place, with accounts varying between an anti-drug drive and an unauthorised operation carried out by local groups, bdnews24 reports.
Followers of the shrine fear that Thursday night's attack may be part of the ongoing wave of attacks and vandalism targeting shrines and Sufi sites across the country since Aug 5, 2024.
According to them, members of Jatiotabadi Jubo Dal, the student wing of BNP, had also attacked the shrine the previous week in the name of an anti-drug drive. Devotees present on Thursday night said attackers entered the shrine premises and assaulted those inside.
Abdus Sabur, who works in a private company, said a weekly Urs is held every Thursday night, attracting visitors from Dhaka and other parts of the country.
He said during the gathering, a group of people suddenly arrived carrying sticks and began attacking devotees.
One injured victim said, "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."
Showing photos on his mobile phone, he added: "These people led the attack. Look at this boy here… they were in charge."
When asked whether police in plain clothes had carried out the operation, several people present immediately responded, "No, no."
One of them said although four police vehicles were stationed outside the shrine gate at the time, officers did not enter the premises.
"They must have planned this in advance. Otherwise why didn't the police come inside?"
