Dhaka — A cross-section of people have demanded exemplary punishment for those involved in the mob that beat and hacked a shrine leader to death in broad daylight in the western Bangladeshi district of Kushtia.
Condemnation flooded social media feeds over the killing of Shamim al-Jahangir, also known as Shamim Reza, a leader of the shrine in Philipnagar, ever since the news of his death surfaced in the media.
Many shared a photocard inscribed with “We want justice,” featuring a portrait of the white-bearded man in a white robe with a red scarf over his shoulder, on Facebook.
They also condemned the government’s inaction in arresting those involved in the attack.
An angry mob of nearly 200 people brought out a procession on Saturday afternoon to protest what they called derogatory remarks about Islam and the Muslim holy book, the Quran, made by Shamim Reza, 55, in the village of Philipnagar in Daulatdia subdistrict.
At one stage, the mob vandalized the shrine, set it on fire, and beat and hacked Reza to death on the premises, according to police officer Faisal Mahmud. Several other people were injured during the incident, he added.
The shrine is located more than 150 kilometers west of the capital, Dhaka.
The incident reportedly occurred after the resurfacing of an old video in which Reza allegedly made objectionable remarks against the Quran. It is known that the shrine leader was arrested earlier in 2021 for anti-Muslim remarks that angered local residents.
Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a leading rights monitoring group in Dhaka, on Sunday urged the government to arrest all those directly and indirectly involved in the killing. The organization also demanded an impartial investigation into the incident.
“Exemplary punishment must be ensured so that no one is encouraged to engage in such violence in the future,” the group said in a statement, also calling for the identification of those spreading provocative or misleading content on social media.
ASK expressed concern over the role of law enforcement agencies, noting that their failure to control the situation despite being present was “alarming.”
Referring to Articles 31 and 32 of the Constitution, the organization said every citizen’s right to life, liberty, and security must be protected.
“In this context, acts of mob violence are a direct violation of the Constitution and contrary to the rule of law,” it said, adding that the incident raises serious questions about the effectiveness of law enforcement.
ASK also warned of a pattern of similar incidents, saying previous periods of unrest saw attacks on shrines, mazars, and religious establishments, including vandalism, arson, and killings. Failure to prevent such violence in the past has increased the risk of recurrence, it said.
The organization stressed that establishing the rule of law is essential for ensuring justice in a democratic society.
Condemning mob violence, the group said such acts create fear, instability, and a culture of impunity. It called for strengthening the capacity of law enforcement agencies, ensuring rapid response, and improving preparedness.
Effective administrative accountability is also needed so that no individual or group can exploit religious sensitivities to take the law into their own hands, the statement added.
Deaths from mob attacks have risen significantly in Bangladesh since a mass uprising ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
Ain o Salish Kendra reported that at least 197 people were killed in mob incidents in 2025 during the rule of an interim administration headed by Muhammad Yunus. Twenty-three others were killed in mob violence in the first two months of 2026, the organization reported. The victims included women, men, religious minorities, mystics, and other marginalized groups.
In September last year, a mob in the central Bangladeshi district of Rajbari exhumed the body of a local spiritual leader from his shrine and set it ablaze on a public highway.
