In a shocking outbreak of violence in Goalanda, Rajbari of Bangladesh a mob identifying themselves as Tawhidi Janata attacked, vandalized, and set fire to the shrine (Darbar Sharif) and home of Islamic Sufi saint Nurul Haque, known locally as “Nural Pagla,” who had died 11 days earlier. The attackers exhumed his body from the grave and burned it at Padma intersection near the Goalanda bus stand along the Dhaka–Khulna highway.
The mob also beat to death the shrine’s attendant, 28-year-old Rasel Molla, son of Azad Molla of Deogram Union. He succumbed to his injuries after being taken to Faridpur Medical College Hospital.
Authorities confirmed that more than 50 people were injured in the attack. The police, RAB, and army later intervened to restore order, while the fire service battled the flames at the shrine and adjacent home.
Religious Dispute Over Burial
The violence stemmed from religious controversy surrounding Nural Pagla’s burial. The elderly mystic died on August 23 while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Dhaka. That night, his body was interred inside the shrine he had founded years earlier, in a grave slightly raised above ground level.
Followers of Salafi Islam, and their allied political factions including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, denounced the burial as un-Islamic and accused Nural Pagla of heresy for having claimed to be “Imam Mahdi” during his lifetime. They formed the “Faith and Creed Protection Committee” (Iman-Aqida Rokkha Committee) and launched protest campaigns.
On September 1, Nural Pagla’s son, Mehedi Nur Jilani, rejected the accusations, insisting the burial followed Islamic guidelines. “My father was buried in accordance with Islamic rules. The grave was raised slightly, as per his wishes. This is not against Islam,” he told The Voice.
Rising Tensions and Government Mediation
As tensions escalated, district officials—including the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police—held multiple meetings with shrine representatives and the protest committee. Under pressure, the shrine’s devotees eventually agreed to lower the grave, repaint its boundary walls, and remove a signboard that had described the site as “Imam Mahdi Darbar Sharif.”
On Friday morning, Rajbari Jamaat leader Advocate Nurul Islam confirmed to journalists that demands had been met. He announced suspension of the planned “March for Goalanda” but said that a previously scheduled protest would proceed after Friday prayers.
Meanwhile, shrine followers held their own press conference at the Goalanda Press Club, asserting that they had complied fully with clerics’ demands. Devotee Mehdi Al Amin declared: “The grave has been lowered, the walls repainted, and the signboard removed, with respect for the demands of the clerics and cooperation from the administration.”
Rally Turns Violent
The crisis came to a head after Friday prayers at Shaheed Fakir Mohiuddin Ansar Club field. Leaders of Islamist factions, including Goalanda Upazila Imam Committee president Maulana Jalal Uddin, BNP vice president Ayub Ali Khan, and municipal BNP general secretary Abul Kashem Mandal, delivered fiery speeches.
Within minutes, the protest transformed into a violent mob. Demonstrators clashed with shrine supporters, pelting bricks before storming the premises by climbing its walls. Witnesses reported that devotees attempted to resist, but were overwhelmed.
In the chaos, shrine attendant Rasel Molla was fatally beaten. Protesters vandalized the official car of the Goaland Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), as well as vehicles belonging to the Additional Police Superintendent and the Officer-in-Charge of Goalanda police station.
UNO Md. Nahidur Rahman told The Voice that five police officers and two administrative staff were injured while trying to control the mob. Goalanda OC Md. Rakibul Islam admitted the scale of violence had not been anticipated. Additional Superintendent of Police Sharif Al Rajib was among those injured.
Casualties and Emergency Response
Goalanda Upazila Health Complex confirmed treating 22 people injured in the attack. Resident physician Dr. Md. Shariful Islam said three were admitted locally, while 19 were transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
Despite earlier attempts at negotiation, the dispute spiraled into one of the deadliest recent episodes of mob violence linked to religious politics in Bangladesh. The attack underscores the growing volatility around sectarian disputes and the fragile role of political groups in fueling or restraining communal tensions.
