Dhaka, October 12 (Daily Kiran) : In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the police detained five leaders and activists from the Student League near the Takwa Mosque in the Dhanmondi area. This action occurred amidst increasing tensions against members of the Awami League party.
Local media reported that a large crowd had gathered for the funeral prayer of Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton. During this event, BNP leaders and activists confronted the five individuals, leading to a physical altercation before they were handed over to Dhanmondi police.
Confirming the incident, Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Imdadul Islam Tayeb stated that those arrested were affiliated with the Student League and were taken into custody while attempting to hold a procession behind the mosque.
Reports indicate that many Student League leaders and activists assembled in the area after hearing about Roton’s funeral prayer taking place in front of the Takwa Mosque. To maintain order, law enforcement was deployed around the mosque and the nearby Dhanmondi Eidgah ground.
Roton, who had been battling cancer for an extended period, passed away on Saturday at Apollo Hospital in Kolkata, India. His body was brought back to Dhaka on Sunday.
The incident drew condemnation from Awami League leader and former minister Mohammad Ali Arafat, who criticized the government led by BNP’s Tarique Rahman. He questioned how the police could intervene at the funeral of a deceased political leader.
Arafat expressed on social media platform X that the police and BNP-affiliated organizations disrupted the funeral proceedings, inciting violence against mourners. He alleged that this incident reflects a troubling collaboration between law enforcement and ruling party activists.
Concerned about the current state of Bangladesh, Arafat emphasized that no government should prevent its citizens from mourning their dead peacefully. He raised alarms about a political culture that disrupts even religious rituals like funerals.
He stated, “Interfering with funeral prayers and using violence against mourners represents a serious violation of people’s fundamental rights. Such events raise significant questions about religious freedom, civil rights, the rule of law, and the state of democracy in Bangladesh.”
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