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“Three injured people were brought to the facility around 3:20pm. Shamim was declared dead on arrival, while the other two are undergoing treatment.”

Additional police, along with Rab and BGB personnel, have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.

At the scene, Kushtia Superintendent of Police Jasim Uddin told reporters that a case was filed against Shamim at Daulatpur Police Station in 2023 on charges including hurting religious sentiments. He was later arrested and sent to jail.

Talking to The Daily Star, he said, “An old video of the man was recently circulated on social media, containing objectionable remarks about Islam. Its renewed circulation culminated in the attack on the shrine.”

Alongside the name listed on his NID card, Shamim used multiple aliases, he added. “At times, he introduced himself as ‘Sree Jahangir, Sree Shamim Krishna’ and other names.”

Quoting locals, he said Shamim’s vision was to promote a composite faith by blending elements from different religions.

“Police were present at the scene. We had information about the possibility of an untoward incident in the area. A human chain was also scheduled for the afternoon. We were in contact with the relevant parties, and they had assured us that nothing would happen.

“However, suddenly a group of 300 to 400 people entered the area and carried out the attack. Police tried to bring the situation under control and attempted to rescue him from inside, but he was attacked with sharp weapons during that time.”

Regarding the next course of action, SP Jasim said, “Some of those who orchestrated the attack and those who circulated the video have been identified. But we are not disclosing their names at this stage. We’re also trying to determine if the attack was politically motivated.”

Talking to the newspaper, Saidur Rahman, one of the followers, said Shamim completed his MA and later moved to Dhaka, where he worked for a private firm. He then became a devotee of Qalandar Baba Jahangir ba-iman al-Sureshwari of Keraniganj and took initiation (bai’at) under him.

Syed Tarik, a sufi and poet, told this newspaper last night, “Shamim later went on to become a pir himself after being granted khilafat.”

In Sufism, khilafat means spiritual succession or authority to represent and continue a Sufi master’s teachings.

According to Saidur, about five to six years ago, Shamim returned to his village. At first, he lived in a tin-shed house. Gradually, his following grew, and over the past six years he built a concrete building with the support of his followers.

The followers suspect that those aligned with a religion-based political party may have been involved in the attack.

On social media, a section of people had been campaigning against Shamim over the past couple of weeks.

Syed Tarik said, “Shamim’s remarks in the viral video now under controversy were not an attack on Islam, but rather a criticism of what he described as inaccurate Tafsir, or interpretation, of the Quran.”