An international human rights organisation, Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), has strongly condemned a violent attack on devotees and the vandalism of a revered shrine in Dhaka, Bangladesh, warning that persistent official inaction is emboldening extremist elements. The attack on the shrine of Hazrat Shah Ali Baghdadi took place on the night of 14 May, when a peaceful weekly religious gathering was violently disrupted.

What Happened at the Shrine

According to JMBF, armed attackers allegedly affiliated with Bangladesh's radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Chhatra Shibir entered the shrine premises wielding sticks and launched a coordinated assault on worshippers. The attack triggered widespread panic and left numerous people injured. Eyewitness accounts cited by the rights body paint a harrowing picture of the violence.

One injured victim, quoted by JMBF, described the chaos: 'Some people came with sticks… they created complete chaos. People started running everywhere. I was trying to get out through the main gate when they hit me on the head.'

Police Inaction Draws Sharp Criticism

Despite police vehicles reportedly being stationed outside the shrine at the time of the attack, law enforcement officers allegedly failed to intervene and protect civilians. JMBF said this failure to act is contributing to a growing climate of impunity, undermining the rule of law and fundamental human rights in the country.

Part of a Wider Pattern Since August 2024

Shahanur Islam, Founder-President of JMBF and a prominent human rights activist, said the incident is far from isolated. 'This incident is not isolated. It is part of an alarming and systematic wave of violence, intimidation, and vandalism targeting shrines, Sufi institutions, and religious minorities across Bangladesh since August 5, 2024. More than one hundred shrines have reportedly been attacked during this period, threatening Bangladesh's long-standing tradition of religious pluralism, tolerance, and communal harmony. Unfortunately, none of the perpetrators have been brought to justice,' Islam said.

Followers of the shrine, cited by the rights body, confirmed that the Shah Ali Baghdadi attack fits a documented pattern of assaults on Sufi sites and shrines that has intensified since August 2024. Critics argue that the absence of prosecutions has allowed perpetrators to act with increasing confidence.

Demands and Calls for Action

JMBF has called on the Bangladesh government to launch an immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation into the shrine attack, identify and prosecute all those responsible, and ensure the safety of religious institutions and devotees nationwide. The organisation further urged authorities to take decisive steps to counter rising religious extremism and politically motivated violence before more heritage sites and communities are targeted.

The Paris-based rights body's statement, issued on 19 May, adds international pressure on Dhaka at a time when concerns over the treatment of religious minorities and Sufi communities in Bangladesh are drawing growing global attention.