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Published : 13 Apr 2026, 06:14 PM
Two days after a “mob” stormed a “Sufi shrine” in Kushtia and hacked its “leader” to death, an uneasy silence grips the area -- mirrored by the victim’s family, who have refused to file a case fearing further “unrest”.
Shamim Reza, alias Jahangir, was killed on Apr 11 when hundreds of people stormed his shrine “Shamim Babar Darbar Sharif” following allegations of blasphemy.
Despite the brutal nature of the lynching, his family says they are choosing silence over legal recourse.
“In the current reality, we have sat together and decided that we will not file a case for Shamim’s murder,” his elder brother Fazlur Rahman told reporters on Monday.
The family's decision appears rooted in a sense of vulnerability and a lack of faith in their ability to navigate a legal battle against the attackers.
"I am old, I don't have the physical strength to run after this case,” Fazlur said.
“I want to live in peace with my family for whatever days I have left," he added.
"I do not want to create trouble with the people of this area by filing a case."
His comments reflect a grim atmosphere in the south-west Philipnagor Union, which remains tense two days after the shrine was vandalised and set ablaze.
Daulatpur Police chief Arifur Rahman confirmed that no arrests have been made because the family has yet to come forward.
"We are waiting. Since no case has been filed, we have not launched any drives to arrest those involved," the officer said.
He noted, however, that if the family continues to refuse to sue, the police may eventually initiate a state-filed case to fulfil legal obligations.
For now, the suspects remain at large as the community remains gripped by fear and silence.
A group of assailants brought out a protest procession and launched the attack on the “shrine” around 2:30pm on Apr 11.
Several followers present at the shrine during the assault were also injured.
Officer Ariful said the attack was provoked by an old video that recently went viral on social media.
