Bangladesh is witnessing a sharp escalation in cultural intolerance, with Islamist mobs allegedly linked to Jamaat-e-Islami attacking Sufi shrines, minority communities, journalists, and cultural organisations across the country. According to a report in The Diplomat, the violence has intensified since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on 5 August 2024, raising serious concerns about impunity and political pressure on law enforcement.

Key Incidents

At least two Sufi shrines were attacked by Islamist mobs in Bangladesh over the last two months, according to the report. The first occurred on 11 April, when a spiritual leader was beaten to death by a mob of nearly 300–400 people during an assault on a shrine in Kushtia, western Bangladesh. The second attack took place on 14 May, when a mob stormed the centuries-old shrine of Hazrat Shah Ali Baghdadi in Mirpur, Dhaka, vandalising the site and assaulting worshippers with sticks.

Jamaat-e-Islami Links

Both attacks were allegedly carried out by workers linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, which has denied involvement. However, evidence cited in the report points toward the party. Following the 14 May Mirpur attack, police arrested three men reportedly linked to Jamaat based on video footage. Local parliamentarian Meer Ahmad Bin Qasem Arman, elected in the 12 February general elections on a Jamaat ticket, admitted that some of those arrested had worked in his election campaign. The murder of the spiritual leader in Kushtia was reportedly led by a former district president of Chhatra Shibir, Jamaat's student wing.

Scale of Violence Under Yunus Government

According to a study by the think tank Maqam: Center for Sufi Heritage, at least 97 shrines were attacked over the 17 months when former interim government head Muhammad Yunus was in office. In those attacks, 3 people were killed and 468 others were injured. The report noted that the surge in 'mob justice' grew increasingly visible during the eighteen-month tenure of the Yunus-led administration.

Administrative Inaction and Wider Implications

The report flagged a pattern of administrative inaction, with attacks allegedly proceeding even in the presence of police or security forces — a development that critics argue reflects political pressure and a culture of impunity. The repeated involvement of Jamaat-affiliated workers, the report said, suggests tacit backing from within the party's structures.

The report warned of broader consequences: 'History shows that once mob culture becomes normalised, it rarely remains under anyone's control. An attack on a shrine today may become an attack on another religious or social group tomorrow. Unless political forces take a firm stand against violence, this cycle will continue.'

With Bangladesh's political transition still unsettled, the trajectory of minority protection and institutional accountability will be closely watched by regional observers and rights groups in the months ahead.