NCP Demands Judicial Probe into Mob Violence at Rajbari Shrine

The National Citizens’ Party (NCP) has strongly condemned and protested the attack on the shrine of Nurul Haque, alias ‘Nural Pagla,’ in Rajbari, where a mob desecrated a grave and burned a body after claiming the deceased had declared himself ‘Imam Mahdi.’ In a statement issued on Friday, September 5, signed by NCP Joint Member Secretary Saleh Uddin Sifat, the party called for a judicial investigation into the incident and the immediate prosecution of those involved.

The statement detailed that a group, under the banner of the ‘Iman-Aqida Protection Committee,’ marched toward the shrine in Goalanda, Rajbari, following a rally. The mob subsequently vandalized the shrine and set fire to the body, an act the NCP described as not only a criminal offense but also a violation of religious and social values. “The National Citizens’ Party demands a judicial probe into this mob terrorism and urges authorities to identify and bring all perpetrators to justice without delay,” the statement read.

The ‘Iman-Aqida Protection Committee’ comprises local leaders from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and members of the local religious community. The committee had announced protests, alleging that Nurul Haque’s burial in a black structure resembling the Kaaba Sharif was against Sharia and insulted religious sentiments. Despite the potential for violence, the local administration failed to address the issue adequately over three days, a lapse the NCP labeled as deeply concerning. The party also criticized the irresponsibility of established political parties at the local level.

The NCP expressed alarm over a series of recent incidents contributing to instability, including shrine vandalism, attacks on Chittagong University students by villagers, a procession by the Awami League in Tejgaon, and the Rajbari incident. “These events are part of a pattern of unrest orchestrated by certain groups,” the statement noted, warning of the risk of fascist narratives and forces re-emerging in Bangladesh. The party called on the interim government to identify and hold accountable those directly and indirectly fueling such incidents.

Urging citizens to remain vigilant, the NCP emphasized the need to safeguard the nation’s stability and prevent the resurgence of divisive forces. The statement underscores growing concerns about mob violence and the urgent need for accountability to restore order and protect communal harmony.