The recent attack and subsequent immolation of the Ismail Shah shrine in Amtali, Barguna is nothing less than an unconscionable act of terror and must be dealt with as such. With this act of aggression, once again Bangladesh is being reminded of not only the clear void in law enforcement that we have been undergoing since the downfall of the previous government but also of the uncomfortable truth that there are those still among us who choose to say no to communal harmony.
According to a recent Dhaka Tribune report a mob set fire to the shrine during its annual Urs celebration early on Monday, with at least 18 to 20 people reportedly getting injured in the attack by an agitated mob of hundreds, some of whom have been admitted to Amtali Upazila Health Complex. For context, the shrine was established in 1996, and since then the shrine authorities have organized a two-day-long Urs every year.
Reports indicate that the attack may have been carried out by the group going by the name of Tawhidi Janata, an Islamist outfit which has been responsible for several other acts of agitation and aggression throughout the country, including the enforced shutdown of several women’s football tournaments.
These are the kinds of incidents which, when left unchecked, give the impression to the rest of the world that Bangladesh has devolved into a land of lawlessness where the persecution of minority communities runs rampant, when nothing can be further from the truth. While the overwhelming majority of Bangladesh still subscribes to communal harmony, the void in law enforcement has certainly resulted in fringe right-wing groups trying to make their presence known.
The onus, then, lands squarely on the interim government to call a spade a spade and brand such groups for what they are: Extremists. It is also the responsibility of the authorities to ensure that such groups are brought to book for attempting to destabilize the nation this way.
