Some Ahmadiyya families in Panchagarh lose ‘everything’ in deadly attack

The assailants launched the attack before the minority Muslim community could apprehend the severity of the situation

Some of the Ahmadiyya families who came under attack in Panchagarh on Friday lost “everything” – from their homes to valuables to garments.

“They looted rice, paddy, garments and gold ornaments before we could apprehend anything.  We fled to save our lives,” said Altaf Hossain, a resident of Ahmadiyya-inhabited Shalshiri on the outskirts of the town.

“We have nothing other than the dresses on us. The situation is almost the same in all the houses,” said Mahmud Ahmed Sumon as things improved on Saturday, a day after the incident.

After staging a blockade on Thursday night, angry Muslims protesting against an Ahmadiyya event demonstrated in the town after Jum’ah prayers on Friday.

They clashed with the police and torched and vandalised homes and shops owned by the members of the Ahmadiyya community.

Babu, an Ahmadiyya trader who gave a single name, said the attackers vandalised his shop and threw out the goods before setting fire to them. “Everything was finished in a matter of minutes.”

Abdul Latif Mia, chief of Panchagarh Sadar Police Station, said no case was filed over the incident until Saturday evening. “We’ve strengthened security in the area.”

He also said the police detained 12 suspects in the incident.

The police said a 27-year-old man, Arifur Rahman, and Zahid Hasan, 23, a member of the Ahmadiyya community, were killed in the violence.

Tabshir Chowdhury, a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya, said Zahid, a young engineer, was beaten up and hacked during the attack.

According to him, the protesters attacked 81 homes at Shalshiri and more than 100 others at Ahmadnagar, causing damage worth "tens of millions of taka".

He alleged the police remained silent for three hours after the protest turned violent. “We could have averted much of the damage had the police become active at the beginning.”

Comments from the police on the allegation of silence were not available.

On Friday, police officers said they were trying their best to get on top of the situation. The authorities deployed Border Guard Bangladesh platoons to the town at night.

Tabrish also alleged a “group of miscreants” incited the Muslims through a disinformation campaign to fan the flames of hatred against the Ahmadiyya.

“Our constitution has given us the right to practise our religion freely. We hope the government and the administration will take all necessary steps to protect that right.”

“We also hope," Tabrish added, "the authorities will establish the rule of law by taking appropriate legal measures against the culprits to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.”