People killed during the distribution of Zakat is not a new issue in our country. Since 1980, at least 100 Zakat-seekers have been killed during the religious programme mainly due to lack of planning and mismanagement.
Despite recurrence of such deaths, it appears that the donors are not careful enough to take precautions while holding such programmes at their house or business establishments.
It is also deplorable that no one was punished for the deaths as of now.
Social experts suggest that the rich people take proper steps to ensure smooth distribution of clothes and other items as Zakat while they should also inform the police beforehand to manage the crowd. Zakat is a religious obligation for the rich Muslims.
In the latest incident, at least 25 people including elderly women and children were killed while many others injured in a stampede during Zakat distribution at a factory in Mymensingh town early yesterday. The victims were mostly homeless and slum people who gathered in front of the factory before sehri.
On July 25 last year, two woman named Firoza, 50, and Nupur, 35, were killed in a stampede when Khan & Sons Group were distributing Zakat in Barisal. Six others were injured in the incident.
Two elderly women died in another incident of stampede in Manikganj on the same day last year. The programme was arranged by Bashundhara Group chairman’s chief adviser Mahbub Morshed.
Police filed a case, but the investigation is still under way, Aminul Islam, OC of Manikganj sadar police, told the Dhaka Tribune. No one was arrested in this connection.
Several officials of law enforcement agencies say investigation into the stampede cases never sees light. In most cases, the victims’ families withdraw the lawsuits after getting compensation.
Prof S Ahsan Habib of Dhaka University’s sociology department thinks stampedes take place repeatedly mainly due to negligence in planning the Zakat distribution events and mismanagement.
Terming such deaths sorrowful, he said: “I will blame the donors for stampedes as they are supposed to know how many people may gather. The donors can take help of the local police and deploy volunteers to hold the programme peacefully.”
Rights activist Elina Khan says the donors must think about the recipients’ safety and security before distributing Zakat. Deaths and injuries can be avoided by informing the police and through proper planning, she said.
Police chief AKM Shahidul Haque in a statement yesterday asked the people to inform the local police station or the district police chief to better manage such crowd.
In 1980, a total of 13 people were killed in a stampede in the capital’s Jurain area during Zakat distribution while three children died on July 9, 1983 when the Bangladesh Bank authorities arranged a similar programme.
Four people were killed in a clash with the police when thousands of Zakat-seekers gathered at an open place in Dhaka Cantonment on May 23, 1987 organised by then president HM Ershad.
Earlier, 14 people were killed on May 5, 1989 and two on April 13, 1991. Maximum 35 people were killed during Zakat distribution in Chittagong on April 26, 1990.
