A wave of intense unrest erupted in Saturia upazila of Manikganj following allegations that a local man made derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), triggering road blockades, violent clashes with law enforcement, and the injury of a police constable before authorities eventually restored order.
The accused has been identified as 27-year-old Md Parvez Hossain Imon, son of Mizanur Rahman Liton, a fertiliser trader from Kandapara area. He is reported to be employed as an agricultural sub-assistant officer. Police have confirmed his arrest in connection with the incident.
According to local accounts, the controversy began on the evening of 24 March at approximately 6:30pm inside a cloth shop in Kandapara market. Witnesses allege that Imon made objectionable and provocative remarks concerning the marital life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The comments reportedly sparked immediate outrage among those present, leading to a heated verbal altercation that quickly spread tension across the locality.
The situation escalated further on Thursday (26 March), when, at around 6:45pm, a group of agitated residents detained the accused near Kandapara Jame Mosque. News of the detention rapidly drew a larger crowd, who subsequently blocked the Saturia–Goalra regional road, bringing traffic to a standstill and staging protests demanding strict action.
Upon receiving information, joint teams from the Bangladesh Army’s Manikganj Sadar camp, district police, and Saturia police station arrived at the scene. However, attempts by law enforcement to take the accused into custody were met with resistance from the gathered crowd, intensifying the confrontation.
The situation soon deteriorated into violence, with protesters reportedly hurling bricks at police personnel and vandalising several vehicles parked or passing along the blocked road. At approximately 9:10pm, Constable Md Ariful Islam sustained a serious head injury after being struck by a brick, causing significant bleeding and prompting immediate medical attention.
As the unrest escalated beyond initial control, senior officials, including Lieutenant Mostahid of the Army, Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Md Salauddin, Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Operations) Mahram Ali, and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Iqbal Hossain, rushed to the site with additional forces. Their coordinated intervention, involving prolonged negotiation and strategic crowd management, continued for nearly three hours.
Authorities eventually succeeded in calming the situation and safely extracting the accused from the crowd, transferring him to Saturia Police Station under tight security. Officials confirmed that order was gradually restored in the area following the operation.
Incident overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Saturia Upazila, Manikganj, Bangladesh |
| Date of initial allegation | 24 March |
| Date of escalation | 26 March |
| Accused | Md Parvez Hossain Imon (27) |
| Occupation | Agricultural sub-assistant officer |
| Allegation | Offensive remarks regarding Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) |
| Police injury | 1 constable (Md Ariful Islam) injured |
| Response agencies | Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Army, local administration |
| Current status | Accused arrested; situation under control |
Local police confirmed that the injured constable was initially treated at Saturia Upazila Health Complex and is now reported to be out of danger. Authorities have stated that legal proceedings against the accused are underway in accordance with applicable laws.
Officials also confirmed that although the situation had been tense for several hours, normalcy has since returned to the area. Security presence, however, remains in place as a precautionary measure to prevent any further unrest.