A man who publicly acknowledged mobilising people through Facebook ahead of the mob killing of Wahiduzzaman Shamim over allegations of blasphemy in Satkhira’s Debhata remains unarrested, even as police investigate the brutal attack in which the victim was dragged from a health facility and beaten to death.
Fazlul Haque Amini, identified by the victim’s family as a key instigator, has continued posting on social media and openly challenged the authorities to take action against him.
He has acknowledged using Facebook posts and live broadcasts to gather people over allegations that Shamim made derogatory remarks about Islam. However, his precise role in the fatal assault remains under investigation.
Debhata police said they were examining the social media posts and videos, along with CCTV footage, to identify those involved in the killing.
The incident has sparked outrage over the apparent failure to prevent repeated attacks on Shamim, who was reportedly rescued by police and taken to a health facility before being assaulted again.
Shamim’s family said he had been receiving treatment for mental health problems for years and was targeted after audio recordings of remarks made during a domestic dispute circulated online.
Amini’s Facebook campaign
Amini began posting videos on his personal Facebook account from around 3:30pm on Tuesday, urging people to mobilise over allegations that Shamim had insulted Islam.
In some videos, he was seen calling on people to take action, while others showed him leading a procession.
Amini subsequently acknowledged that he had used Facebook posts and live broadcasts to gather people.
He also declared that he was prepared to face arrest, imprisonment or even the death penalty for his actions.
In statements circulated online, Amini argued that Shamim’s alleged remarks could not be excused on mental health grounds.
He claimed Shamim had repeatedly made offensive comments about Islam and said he considered protesting such remarks a religious obligation.
Amini also stated that he was not affiliated with any political party.
According to the account, he posted a photograph of Shamim after his death and expressed jubilation. He continued posting on Thursday, including material related to the audio recording at the centre of the allegations.
His activities have raised questions about why he had not been taken into custody despite publicly acknowledging his role in mobilising people.
Debhata Police Station Officer-in-Charge HM Shahin told media that police were aware of the Facebook posts and broadcasts.
“These matters have come to our attention. We are conducting our own operations and are taking action,” he said.
Police said investigators were examining CCTV footage from the hospital and surrounding areas, along with videos circulating on social media, to identify others involved.
Repeated attacks before death
According to Shamim’s family, the violence began on Monday following an argument between him and his wife.
His younger brother, Tawsif Rahman Sagar, said neighbours recorded remarks made during the dispute and circulated the audio on social media, accompanied by allegations of blasphemy.
A mob subsequently attacked the family’s home and vandalised property.
Shamim was also assaulted near Subarnabad market, according to his elder brother, Abdul Jalil.
Following the attack, Shamim returned home and consumed poison, his family said.
He was taken to the chamber of a local physician, MA Sabur, in the Kuliya area, where he received treatment and was kept under observation.
On Tuesday, a mob entered the doctor’s chamber and attacked him again.
Police intervened, rescued Shamim and took him to Sakhipur Health Complex.
However, the violence did not end there.
According to the family, another large mob entered the health facility, assaulted Shamim and dragged him outside.
Jalil alleged that Amini led the crowd, which he estimated numbered more than 1,000 people.
The attackers allegedly slammed Shamim against a wall and beat him severely.
Police subsequently recovered him and transferred him to Satkhira Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
OC Shahin confirmed that Shamim had been attacked again after police initially rescued him.
“At 8:30pm, an agitated mob, or ‘Tawhidi Janata’, whatever one might call them, arrived and assaulted him again,” he said.
Family alleges planned killing
Shamim’s family described the killing as deliberate and demanded action against those responsible for mobilising the crowd.
“They incited people against him using a provocative video/audio clip, and then deliberately and systematically beat him to death,” Sagar said.
Sagar said his brother had completed his Honours and Master’s degrees in History at Jagannath University.
According to the family, Shamim developed mental health problems after being drugged by criminals during a bus journey several years ago.
He had experienced periods of mental instability for around a decade and had been receiving medical treatment.
The family said his condition had affected his personal life, including his first marriage.
Shamim leaves behind two sons, one from each marriage.
Sagar questioned why his brother had been subjected to mob violence instead of being dealt with through the legal system.
“If the law had punished him, we would have accepted it. But why should my brother be beaten to death without any trial?” he said.
Jamaat involvement alleged, denied
The victim’s family also alleged that local Jamaat-e-Islami activists were involved in mobilising people during the initial attack.
Sagar claimed that some participants had gathered at a local Jamaat office before proceeding to the family’s home.
He alleged that local party leaders and activists were among those involved.
However, Kamrul Islam Gazi, president of the Ward 8 Jamaat-e-Islami unit in Parulia Union, denied the allegations.
He told BBC Bangla that local residents, rather than Jamaat activists, had assaulted Shamim.
“No... it was the local residents,” he said when asked whether party members were involved.
Gazi said he had heard that Shamim was beaten after being taken for treatment following his consumption of poison.
The family’s allegations against Jamaat members have not been independently established.
As of 3pm on Thursday, no murder case had been filed, according to police.
OC Shahin said police had contacted the victim’s family and were expecting them to visit the police station to lodge a complaint.
Sagar also said the family intended to file a case later in the day.
Police said the investigation was continuing and that legal action would be taken against those identified as responsible.