Key Points

"The situation was good, but based on the incidents of the last few days, I would say it has deteriorated slightly. We will try our best to restore it to the previous state," Lt Gen Chowdhury told media persons here after inaugurating a training programme for increasing the capability and skills of police for performing election duties at Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka, the United News of Bangladesh reported.

He said that an investigation is being conducted into the recent violence that took place in Rajbari and revealed that five people involved in the incident have been brought under the law.

Asked about the recent violence in Rajbari, he said: "We will be able to give details once the investigation report is available. However, we have already brought five people involved in the incident under the law. After their interrogation, we may be able to get a clearer picture."

On whether a fair probe is possible when the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of the district remain in their posts, he responded: "Negligence will be determined through investigation. If I remove everyone beforehand, it means I’ve not given importance to the investigation. If anyone is proven guilty, action will be taken. If someone is innocent, no action will be taken against them. Without investigation, how can I say who is responsible?"

At least one person was killed and over 100 others were injured on September 5 after violent clashes erupted in Rajbari's Goalanda upazila over the grave of Nurul Haque Molla, also known as Nural Pagla, a self-proclaimed Imam Mahdi claimant. The deceased has been identified as Md Rasel Molla, 28, Bangladesh's The Business Standard reported.

The violence erupted around noon on Friday after angry people attacked Nural Pagla's resting place in the Ansar Club area. His followers resisted, and both sides threw bricks and stones at each other, resulting in scores of people getting injured.

After Nural Pagla's death on August 23, his family buried him outside his residence in around 12-foot structure. The grave was made in the style of the Kaaba Sharif, and a signboard declaring "Darbar Sharif of Hazrat Imam Mahdi (AS)" was displayed, sparking anger among local Muslims and causing tensions in the area.

The Imam Parishad of Goalanda Upazila called for a protest on August 26. The district administration held several meetings to calm the situation. During the meetings, people demanded a change in the grave's structure from the Kaaba style, removal of the signboard and lowering the grave's height to a normal level. The family and followers accepted the first two demands; however, they demanded time until September 4 to decide on reducing the grave's height. However, the family failed to do it within the stipulated timeline, The Business Standard reported.

Later on September 5, locals, after Friday prayers, gathered at the Goalanda Ansar Club square, and violence erupted as they clashed with Nural Pagla's followers. The mob vandalised and looted nearby homes and set fire to the "shrine." The mob dug the grave, took the body in a procession to the Dhaka-Khulna highway at Padma intersection, and set it on fire. The army, police, magistrates and RAB intervened and brought the situation under control while fire service teams were deployed at the site to control the fire.

- IANS