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Published : 19 Sep 2025, 01:52 PM
Police have started a case against more than 2,000 unidentified people after a series of mob attacks, vandalism and arson at four shrines in Cumilla’s Homna Upazila, fuelled by allegations of blasphemy.
Homna Police Station Sub-Inspector Tapas Kumar Sarkar, who lodged the case on Thursday night, said the case lists between 2,000 and 2,200 unnamed suspects.
The unrest broke out on Thursday afternoon in Homna's Asadpur village after announcements were made over loudspeakers, accusing a man of blasphemy. Angry crowds subsequently vandalised and set fire to four shrines. Three houses near one of the shrines were also torched.
Police said 35-year-old Md Mohsin had been arrested on charges of blasphemy. He is the son of Alek Shah from Fakirbari.
When informed about the violence, police and Army personnel rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
SI Tapas said, “A case has been filed against 2,000 to 2,200 unidentified people for forming a mob and attacking, vandalising, and setting fire to religious establishments.”
“We’ve begun the investigation. Let us work for a while and then it will be appropriate to provide details.”
Local residents said around 11am on Wednesday, a Facebook ID with the name “Bemoja Mohsin” posted a derogatory comment about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
The post sparked anger in the area, leading locals to stage demonstrations demanding Mohsin’s arrest.
Police then arrested him and took him to the station.
That evening, Md Shariful Islam, organisational secretary of Bangladesh Islami Jubo Sena’s Homna unit, filed a case with Homna Police Station accusing Mohsin of blasphemy.
He was shown arrested in the case and produced before court on Thursday.
On Thursday morning, an enraged “mob” gathered in the village and announcements were made through loudspeakers calling for attacks on shrines and houses. The crowd first targeted Mohsin’s house, then vandalised and set fire to the shrine of Kofil Uddin Shah. They later torched three houses on the shrine premises, destroying furniture and a motorcycle.
The “mob” went on to vandalise the shrines of Abdu Shah, Kalai (Kanu) Shah and Hawali Shah, setting fire to the compound of the last shrine.
On Friday morning, Homna Police Station chief Muhammad Rafiqul Islam said that the situation in the Asadpur area has been tense since the incident. Additional police personnel have been deployed in the area to prevent further unrest.
