The man, Abu Yunus Md Shahidunnabi Jewel, was beaten and burnt to death in public although everyone has the right to trial under the law of the land if he or she commits a crime, Matin said at a protest programme in Dhaka’s Shahbagh on Saturday.
“The burning of a man to death in Lalmonirhat was completely against Islam and humanity. I condemn such an incident,” he said at the programme organised by the Muktijuddho Mancha.
The leader of the Islamist party believes there were ill-intentions behind the killing of Jewel.
“Islam is a religion of peace. No religion supports violence and killing. An extremist quarter is trying to create anarchy in Bangladesh in the name of religion. Their main target is to tarnish Bangladesh’s image globally,” Matin said.
The speakers at the programme also demanded punishment to those who spread rumours over religion on social media and at religious gatherings.
A mob killed Jewel and injured another in Lalmonirhat on allegations that he showed disrespect to the Quran at a mosque last Thursday.
Jewel, a resident of Rangpur, is a former student of Dhaka University. Thet father of two lost his job as a school librarian last year. Relatives said he was undergoing treatment for “mental illness”.
FIVE ARRESTED
The police have arrested five people over the killing of Jewel.
“We are conducting an operation to arrest the others,” said Abida Sultana, superintendent of police in the district.
The police, the family of Jewel and Burimari Union Parishad filed three cases with Patgram Police Station over the incident.
The mob also torched Jewel’s motorcycle and the UP office, where the local UP member Hafizul Islam took Jewel and the injured, Sultan Zubayer Abbas, to save them from the angry locals.
Sumon Kumar Mohanta, the OC of Patgram Police Station, rescued Abbas and fled the Burimari Union Parishad office through the rooftop, locals said.
The mob stormed the office and dragged Jewel out before beating and burning him to death on the Lalmonirhat-Burimari Highway near Burimari Land Port.
UP Chairman Abu Sayeed Newaz Nishat said the union council decided to take action after watching videos of the incident.
Additional District Magistrate TMA Momin is leading a three-strong committee formed the district administration to investigate the incident. Md Rabiul Islam, additional superintendent of police in the district, and Patgram Upazila Executive Officer Kamrun Nahar are members of the committee.
Rabiul said the police did arrive at the scene but could not take control of the situation. As many as 10 policemen were injured, he said.
