Kushtia 'Pir' beaten to death by mob

A man, revered by his followers as a "Pir" or spiritual leader, was beaten to death and his shelter set ablaze in a mob attack in Kushtia's Daulatpur upazila today (11 April) over allegations of "demeaning religion".

Police arrived at the scene around 2:30pm as an agitated crowd had vandalised the den of Shamim Reza Jahangir.

Daulatpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Arifur Rahman confirmed the matter, saying, "Shamim Reza Jahangir died after being critically injured in an attack by a group of locals. Preparations are underway to send the body to the Kushtia General Hospital morgue for an autopsy."

At least seven of Jahangir's followers were reportedly injured in the attack; they have since fled the scene.

Sharp reactions among netizens

Videos of the attack and vandalism spread across the media and social media platforms. They show several hundred people, armed with sticks, initially carrying out attacks and vandalism at the shrine. Later, the site was set on fire.

"During the interim period, there were more statements condemning mob violence than actual action. People thought that once an elected government came in, it would perhaps take action. In reality, not only is there no action, the much-cherished elected government now does not even issue statements of condemnation," wrote Kallol Mustafa, a writer, researcher, and activist, on his facebook page.

Mob violence became a serious and growing concern in Bangladesh. At least 259 people were killed and 313 injured in mob violence and lynching over the past 17 months, according to an annual report by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) on 4 February.

A report from Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF) said 21 people were killed in mob violence in January 2026 alone.