Attack and arson carried out during annual Urs at Ismail Shah shrine in Amtali, Barguna

An attack and arson were carried out during the annual Urs at the Ismail Shah shrine in Amtali, Barguna. The shamiana inside the shrine and two guest houses were burnt to ashes. Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Babul, the khadem of the shrine, made this allegation. At least 20 people were injured in the incident. The incident took place in the Bottola area of Amtali municipal town around 12:15 AM on Sunday. Fire service personnel brought the fire under control at 2:45 AM after two hours of effort.

It is known that the Ismail Shah shrine was established in 1996 in the Bottola area of Amtali municipal town. Since that time, the shrine authorities have been celebrating a two-day Urs. The 28th Urs began on Sunday evening. That night, more than a hundred supporters led by Maulana Omar Faruk Jehadi, president of the Islami Andolan Bangladesh Amtali upazila branch, and General Secretary Gazi Bayezid came and asked to stop shrine worship and music. However, the shrine's khadem Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Babul expressed his inability to stop the Urs. This led to a conflict between them.

At one point, supporters of Islami Andolan Bangladesh vandalized the shrine with sticks and set it on fire. This caused panic among the thousands of devotees and locals who came to the Urs. People started running around here and there. [Video in comments] Upon receiving the information, Amtali Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Tareq Hasan and OC Md. Ariful Islam Arif arrived at the scene. They brought the situation under control. On the other hand, fire service personnel brought the fire ablaze under control after two hours of effort.

By then, two guest houses of the shrine and the shamiana inside the shrine were burnt to ashes. At least 20 people were injured. The injured are Solaiman (38), Rezaul (18), Badal Mridha (40), Dulal Mridha (42), Abu Bakar (29), Abul Hossain (28), Abdullah Al Noman (28), Md. Mamun (43), Abul Kalam (42), Jobayer (19) and Fazlul Karim (27). The injured have been admitted to Amtali Upazila Health Complex. Other injured were given first aid.

Some eyewitnesses said that more than a hundred cap-wearing supporters led by Maulana Omar Faruk Jehadi, president of Amtali branch of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and General Secretary Gazi Bayezid came with sticks, vandalized the shrine and set it on fire. At this time, panic spread among thousands of devotees and locals who came to the Urs. The fire was burning fiercely. People were running helter-skelter.

Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Babul, khadem of Ismail Shah shrine, said that more than a hundred supporters led by Maulana Omar Faruk Jehadi and Gazi Bayezid came with sticks and launched a sudden attack on the shrine and set it on fire. The gilaf inside the shrine and two guest houses were burnt to ashes. He further said that they beat up the devotees and looted the money in the shrine's box. I demand the punishment of those involved in this incident.

Gazi Bayezid, general secretary of Amtali upazila branch of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, said that Maulana Omar Faruk along with several supporters went and asked the khadem of the shrine, Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Babul, not to perform shrine worship and play music during the holy month of Ramadan. But he was unwilling to accept that. At one point, his devotees got angry and raised hands on Maulana Omar Faruk Jehadi. Enraged by this, the mob vandalized the shrine and set it on fire.

Maulana Omar Faruk Jehadi, president of Amtali upazila branch of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, said that this shrine is a den of frauds. Music, consumption of ganja and drugs, and gatherings of women take place here in the name of Urs. Which is completely anti-Islam. I asked the khadem of the shrine Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Babul to refrain from unethical activities in this holy month of Ramadan, but he did not listen and ordered his devotees to attack my people. I demand the punishment of the khadem of this fraud shrine, lawyer Babul, and his cohorts.

Dr. Rased Mahmud Rokonuzzaman, medical officer of Amtali Upazila Health Complex, said that the injured have been given proper treatment and admitted to the hospital. Mohammad Hanif, warehouse inspector of Amtali Fire Station, said that the fire was brought under control at 2:35 AM after two hours of effort. The shamiana and two rooms inside the shrine were burnt in the fire. Amtali Police Station OC Md. Ariful Islam Arif said that upon receiving the news, the situation was brought under control by arriving at the scene. Legal action will be taken subject to investigation.

Amtali Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman said that strict action will be taken against whoever is involved in the incident. Source: Jonakantha