The investigation into the brutal killing of a religious leader in Kushtia’s Daulatpur upazila has made little progress even 24 hours after the incident, with no arrest made and no formal case yet lodged by either the police or the victim’s family.
Shamim Reza, also known as Jahangir and locally identified as a pir, was attacked and killed following allegations of blasphemy at his shrine in the village of Filippur. Despite the severity of the incident, authorities confirmed that no First Information Report had been filed as of yet, and the family of the deceased has also not initiated legal proceedings.
On Sunday afternoon, a visit to the Darogar Mor area of Filippur village revealed an atmosphere of deep tension and fear. The locality appeared largely deserted, with very few male residents visible. The shrine of Shamim Reza, which was vandalised and set on fire during the attack, remained under police guard. Officers stationed at the site were maintaining silence and refrained from engaging with the public.
The deceased’s elder brother, Golam Rahman, who remained near the site, stated that the body was still at Kushtia General Hospital morgue. He added that the family intended to bring the body back to the village for burial after completion of the post-mortem examination.
Daulatpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Arifur Rahman confirmed that the situation in the area had stabilised following the violence. He stated that adequate police personnel had been deployed to maintain order. However, he acknowledged that no arrests had been made and no formal complaint had yet been submitted.
Meanwhile, senior law enforcement officials visited the scene to assess the situation. Additional Deputy Inspector General Sheikh Joynul Abedin of the Khulna Range inspected the affected area on Sunday afternoon, indicating heightened administrative attention to the case.
According to available accounts, the violence erupted on Saturday at approximately 2:30 pm when a large group of 200–300 people allegedly stormed the shrine premises. The attack took place in the presence of police officers, amid accusations of religious offence. The mob reportedly vandalised and torched the shrine before assaulting Shamim Reza with sticks and sharp weapons. He was critically injured and later taken to Daulatpur Health Complex, where he was declared dead at around 4:30 pm.
Incident Timeline
| Time & Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Saturday, ~2:30 pm | Large group allegedly attacks shrine over blasphemy accusation |
| Same time | Shrine vandalised and set on fire; police reportedly present |
| Shortly after | Shamim Reza assaulted with sticks and sharp weapons |
| 4:30 pm | Victim pronounced dead at Daulatpur Health Complex |
| Sunday | Area remains tense; police deployment continues |
| Sunday afternoon | Senior police official visits incident site |
| Within 24 hours | No case filed; no arrests made |
The situation remains under close observation as authorities face growing questions over the delay in formal legal action and the absence of arrests despite the scale and visibility of the violence.