Khanqah Sharif attack: Police sue 2,000; no arrest yet

Police yesterday filed a case against 2,000 unnamed people over Friday's clash between a mob and law enforcers at Miyarhat in Daulatkhan upazila of the district.

Sub-inspector Md Rafique of Daulatkhan Police Station filed the case on charges of assaulting policemen and preventing them from discharging their duties. No one was arrested as of last evening.

More than 50 people, including four policemen, were injured in the clash on Friday evening when police tried to disperse people who laid siege to Hakkani Khanqah Sharif, a religious educational institution run by Hakkani Mission Bangladesh.

Earlier that afternoon, Iman Aqidah Sangrokkhan Committee, an Islamist group, staged a rally to protest alleged “unethical activities” inside the Khanqah Sharif.

Zobair Hossain, khadem of the Khanqah Sharif, refuted the claim. 

Those who held the rally under the banner of “Iman Aqidah Sangrokkhan Committee” ended the protest programme peacefully but an opportunist group took advantage of it and attacked the Khankah Sharif, Zobair said.

He alleged the attack was “pre-planned”.

Zobair also said they were living in fear since the incident took place.

The authorities of the Khanqah Sharif alleged that when demonstrators were returning from the rally, some of them entered the Khanqah Sharif and carried out vandalism there.

Mizanur Rahman, a leader of "Iman Aqidah Sangrokkhan Committee", said people of the committee were not involved in the attack.