Church without pastor for a year
Ishwardi Faith Bible Church in the district is yet to resume its normal activities, one year into the attack on its Pastor Luke Sarkar.
Three unidentified attackers injured Luke Sarkar, 52, on October 5 last year.
After investigation, police submitted charge sheet against seven JMB operatives on July 20 this year in connection with the incident, said Md Abdul Hai, officer in charge of Ishwardi Police Station.
Of them, Shahjalal alias Rakibul alias Towhid, 21, of Mirzapur, and Abdur Rakib, 19, of Nurpur in Pabna, Ziaur Rahman, 35, of Shinga, Sairiful Islam Tulip, 22, of Mazidpur, Alim Hossain, 36, of Tikori, and Amzad Hossain, 30, of Raghabbaria village in Sirajganj are in jail while Hazi Kaium, 40, of Tikori village in Pabna remains absconding.
“On October 27 last year, Luke Sarkar left for his home district Satkhira and since then he did not come here due to security reasons. Amid the situation, the authorities could not appoint new pastor here and so, some 20 to 25 Christian families are deprived of regular religious functions,” said Alok Majumder, secretary of Faith Bible Church in Ishwardi.
"Luke Sarkar is the complainant of the case. If he is not present during the trial, the fate of the case will face uncertainty," said OC Abdul Hai.
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