Law enforcement accused of complicity as Jamaat-Shibir groups assault demonstrators under military presence
In a deeply troubling incident today in Chattogram, participants of a peaceful Sunni rally were violently attacked in the presence of both police and military forces. The rally, organized to assert religious rights and legitimate demands, was conducted in a disciplined manner without obstructing public roads. However, despite the nonviolent nature of the assembly, law enforcement personnel reportedly initiated the assault by firing tear gas and subsequently charging with batons.
Witnesses claim that the situation escalated further when Jamaat-Shibir supporters, emboldened by the presence of state forces, launched a brutal and organized attack on the demonstrators—right in front of law enforcement and military personnel, who allegedly did not intervene.
Observers and community leaders are raising serious concerns, questioning how such a violent assault could occur in full view of security forces without their intervention. “How could Jamaat-Shibir activists attack demonstrators under the army’s watch? Is the state complicit?” one community member asked.
The incident has triggered outrage among the Sunni community and civil society, who argue that the attack could not have happened without at least tacit approval from elements within the state apparatus.
“If the government remains silent after such an incident—where bullets, tear gas, batons, and extremist violence are used against peaceful citizens—it sends a chilling message: the attackers may be operating with state protection,” a community representative stated.
This event raises urgent questions about religious freedom, law enforcement neutrality, and the role of extremist groups in Bangladesh’s political landscape.
