In Daulatpur Upazila under Kushtia District, police have yet to make any arrests four days after the killing of a religious figure, even though a local political leader has been named as the principal accused and alleged instigator in a murder case.
The deceased, Pir Abdul Rahman alias Shamim, was killed in a violent attack at a shrine (darbar sharif) in the Filippnagar Union area. His elder brother, Fozlur Rahman, filed a murder case at Daulatpur Police Station on Monday night, naming several individuals, including a prominent local political figure, as accused.
According to the First Information Report, Muhammad Khaja Ahmed—identified as a former president of the district unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir and currently a member of the working committee of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh at the upazila level—is listed as both the principal accused and the alleged mastermind behind the killing. Khaja Ahmed hails from Islampur village under Filippnagar Union.
The case further names three additional individuals: Asaduzzaman, president of the Daulatpur Upazila unit of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis; Rajib Mistry; and Shihab. In addition, around 180 to 200 unidentified persons have also been implicated in the case.
Police investigators stated that no suspects had been arrested as of yet, but operations are ongoing. Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Md Ali Mortuza confirmed that efforts to detain the accused were continuing and that progress was expected soon.
Summary of the accused
| Serial | Name | Alleged identity | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muhammad Khaja Ahmed | Jamaat-e-Islami leader, alleged mastermind | Islampur, Filippnagar Union |
| 2 | Asaduzzaman | Local leader, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis | Hosenabad, Daulatpur |
| 3 | Rajib Mistry | Local resident | South-West Filippnagar |
| 4 | Shihab | Local resident | East Islampur |
| — | Unidentified individuals | Organised group | Approximately 180–200 persons |
The FIR describes that the attack took place on Saturday around 2:45 pm at the shrine premises. A group of armed individuals allegedly entered the site and attacked Pir Abdul Rahman, who was inside the shrine at the time.
The attackers are said to have used locally made weapons, including iron rods, machetes, knives, axes, bamboo sticks and wooden clubs. The violent assault also left two others injured—one identified as Zobayer, and another as Jamiron, a caretaker at the shrine.
The complaint further alleges extensive damage to the shrine property, estimated at around 2 million Bangladeshi taka. It also claims that a steel cabinet was broken open, from which 500,000 taka in cash and four bhori of gold ornaments were stolen.
Following the incident, tensions have risen in local political circles. However, Muhammad Khaja Ahmed has declined to comment when approached by journalists.
In response, the Daulatpur Upazila unit of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh issued a statement denying any organisational involvement, claiming that none of their leaders or activists were connected to the incident. The statement described the attack as a local and spontaneous incident and alleged that attempts were being made to politicise the matter. It also urged authorities to identify the real perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Police have reiterated that the investigation remains active and that all aspects of the incident are being carefully examined before further legal action is taken.