Allegations that authorities prevented the funeral prayer of Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton, a former general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, from being held in Dhaka have sparked anger among former and current student leaders.
According to claims made by Chhatra League leaders on social media, the funeral prayer could not be held at either the Eidgah Mosque in Dhanmondi’s 6/A area or Taqwa Mosque in the 12/A area, despite two changes of venue. They also questioned the role of police and other law enforcement personnel in the incident.
The situation reportedly unfolded around 4:30pm on Sunday, October 11, as arrangements were being made for the funeral prayer at the two mosques.
Mazharul Kabir Shayan, president of Dhaka University Chhatra League, alleged in a Facebook post that Roton’s funeral prayer had been prevented despite the change of venues. He claimed that police had stopped the ambulance carrying the body and obstructed efforts to hold the prayer, take the body to a residence in Dhaka and allow family members to see him for the last time. He also alleged that pressure had been exerted on the media.
Siddiqui Nazmul Alam, a former general secretary of Chhatra League, expressed anger in a separate Facebook post, highlighting Roton’s personal and educational ties to Dhaka. He claimed that the deceased’s longtime classmates, fellow activists and relatives had been denied the opportunity to attend the funeral prayer and pay their final respects.
Nahid Bhuiyan, joint general secretary of Dhaka University Chhatra League, also described his experience in a Facebook post, saying that police and local Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal activists were heavily present around the two mosques.
Meanwhile, allegations emerged that Chhatra Dal activists attacked Roton’s supporters and Awami League leaders and activists who had gathered near Science Lab to attend the funeral prayer. Several people were reportedly injured, and police allegedly arrested some individuals. However, the details of the alleged attack, the number of injured people and the arrests could not be independently verified.
There was no immediate official statement from police clarifying whether any order had been issued to prevent the funeral prayer, what role law enforcement played or whether the ambulance carrying the body had been stopped. The location where Roton’s funeral prayer was ultimately held also remained unclear.
The allegations have prompted criticism on social media, with former and current student leaders questioning the circumstances surrounding the funeral arrangements. The full circumstances remain unclear pending an official response and independent verification of the claims.
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