In Goalanda, Rajbari, a group attacked and set fire to the darbar of Nurul Haque, alias Nural Pagol. Clashes with his followers left one person dead and more than fifty others injured.
When authorities tried to control the situation, the attackers turned on the police and vandalized vehicles, injuring six personnel. Later, the body of Nural Pagol, buried just a few days earlier, was exhumed and burned, reports Bangla Tribune.
The incident took place on Friday, from around 2:30pm to 5pm.
Police, Rapid Action Battalion and army personnel were deployed on the scene to bring the situation under control.
According to Goalanda Upazila Health Complex, 22 people sustained injuries in the clashes. Nineteen of them were referred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital, where one died on the way. The remaining three later went to the hospital voluntarily for safety reasons.
The deceased was identified as Rasel Molla, 28, son of Amzad Molla of Jatumistripara village under Debgram union in Goalanda. It was not immediately known which side he was affiliated with.
Nurul Haque, alias Nurul Pagol, had established his darbar sharif at his residence in Ward 5 of Goalanda municipality many years ago. In the late 1980s, he claimed to be Imam Mahdi, attracting considerable public attention and criticism.
On March 23, 1993, to avoid public outrage, he left the area after signing a pledge. A few days later, he returned and resumed operations at his darbar sharif.
He passed away on the early morning of August 23 in a private hospital in Dhaka due to age-related illness. That evening, the first funeral prayer (janaza) was held with local residents participating.
Later, his followers held a second janaza inside the darbar sharif. At around 10pm, he was buried approximately 12 feet above the ground in a special manner, with his grave painted in the style of the holy Kaaba.
This sparked protests from a group of people, who demanded changes to the grave’s appearance. The grave’s colour was eventually altered following their protests.
Several meetings were held between the group of people, Nural Pagol’s family, and senior administrative officials, including the deputy commissioner and police superintendent.
Later, the group of people held two press conferences, issuing stern warnings of strict action. They also threatened to demolish the grave if it was not lowered.
Following Friday prayers, the group held a protest rally at the Goalanda Ansar Club ground, which escalated into an attack on Nural Pagol’s darbar. His followers retaliated. During the violent clashes, with bricks and stones thrown, over a hundred people from both sides were injured.
The darbar was set on fire, and the body of Nural Pagol was exhumed and taken to Padma intersection along the Dhaka-Khulna highway, where it was burned.
When police tried to control the situation, they were attacked, and two police vehicles were vandalized, resulting in injuries to six personnel. Even when the army intervened to restore order, the attackers confronted them.
Goalanda Ghat police station OC Mohammad Rakibul Islam confirmed that six personnel were injured in the violence.
District Police Superintendent Md Kamrul Islam, Additional SP Sharif Al Rajib, and other police officials also visited the site but declined to comment further.