The shrine’s heritage and culture are being systematically destroyed

BDD Desk

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5 last year (2024), destruction began across the country. Centuries-old shrines were not left out. Many of the affected shrines are ancient and have historical, archaeological and religious importance. Some shrines were built centuries ago, when Islam began to spread in the region. According to Islamic experts, shrines and the tradition of Sufism have played an important role in the spread of Islam.

However, a group has been involved in a conspiracy to destroy these traditions. Even before August 5, shrines were attacked in Kalebhadra, but it was possible to deal with it with the government’s quick action. But after August 5, attacks on shrines, vandalism, arson, looting, and bulldozing have been happening frequently. On the other hand, very little news of these has come to the media. Due to the government’s unwritten ban and the media’s pro-power journalism, these news remain hidden and secret.

BD Digest’s investigation has found information about at least 104 attacks on shrines since August 5. It has also found information about the closure of annual Urs at seven shrines and dargahs.

August – 2024

The shrines affected on August 5 are: the shrine of Borhan Uddin Bairam Shah, also known as Bairam Shah’s shrine, located in Tejgaon Colony Bazar, Dhaka; the shrine of Haider Ali Shah, located at No. 48 Hazaribagh, Dhaka; the shrine of Garib Shah Baba, located in Bakultala, Jessore; the shrine of Syed Reza Shah Chishti, also known as Shah Bhalai, located in Damurhuda Police Station, Chuadanga; the Rawza Sharif of Khaja Baba Shah Sufi Abul Hasan Chishti, located in the Tare Pukur area of ​​Khulna; the shrine of Dewan Sharif Khan, Narsingdi; the shrine of Koppa/Kofa Pagla, Dargah or Parulia shrine, Bigchan Al Jahangir shrine or Bigchan Al Sureshwari shrine or Bigchan Sadhur shrine, in Raipura Upazila, Narsingdi; Golap Shah Shrine located at Khar Mor, Akbar Pagla Shrine, Ayez Pagla Shrine, Syed Reza Sarwar Shrine in Rupganj, Narayanganj, Ashrafnagar Darbar Sharif (Chandpuri Darbar Sharif) located in Laksam, Comilla, Malek Darbesh Shrine (Malek Shah Darbar), Waesia Darbar Sharif located in Ghior, Manikganj, Nur Aisa Darbar Sharif located in Bahadurpur village of Gouripur upazila of Mymensingh district.

Among them, the five-hundred-year-old shrine of Bairam Shah in Dhaka was demolished, and the shrine of Haider Ali Shah, another shrine in Dhaka, was vandalized, looted, and set on fire.

The three-hundred-year-old Narsingdi Dargah Shrine or Parulia Shrine, which is associated with the descendants of Isha Khan, the Koppa/Kofa Pagla Shrine, the Bigchan Sadhu Shrine, which has been hosting annual and weekly ceremonies for 100 years, the Akbar Pagla Shrine, and the Ayez Pagla Shrine were vandalized, looted, and set on fire.

The four-hundred-year-old shrine of Garib Shah Baba in Jessore, the Rawza Sharif of Khwaja Baba Shah Sufi Abul Hasan Chishti in Khulna, and the five-hundred-year-old shrine of Syed Reza Shah Chishti in Chuadanga were vandalized, looted, and set on fire.

Chandpuri Darbar Sharif in Comilla, Malek Darbesh’s shrine, Waesia Darbar Sharif in Manikganj, Nur Aisa Darbar Sharif in Mymensingh were attacked and vandalized. The wall of Syed Reza Shah Sarwar’s shrine in Narayanganj was broken and the flowers and fruit trees in the shrine premises were uprooted.
Starting from August 5, traditional ancient shrines, Sufi Darbar Sharifs, shrines of madmen and fakirs and Baul and fakirs’ akhras-astanas have been attacked one after another in different parts of the country. Those concerned with the shrines believe that the government is giving silent and indirect support in these cases. The custodians of several shrines, who do not want to be named, said that the attacks were led by local leaders and activists of Jamaat, Hefazat and BNP. Who are recognized as one of the supporters, beneficiaries and stakeholders of Dr. Yunus’s government. As a result, the concerned people estimate that the trial of these attacks will be fairly silent. In most cases, no cases have been filed, some have not dared to file cases, and even if cases have been filed, no action has been taken in the last 11 months. As a result, the shrine’s khadems and murids are afraid that another attack may occur at any time. As a result, many have said that they are not going to the shrine due to such fears.

The attacks on the shrines did not end on August 5. Even then, they continued in a continuous and planned manner. There were clashes in some places. There were also incidents of deaths and injuries.

The shrine of Shamsul Haque Shah in Brahmanbaria was vandalized, looted and set on fire in two phases on August 6 and 7. The Qutubuddin Shah shrine in Chuadanga was demolished and razed to the ground on August 7.

The shrine of Hazrat Shah Badiuzzaman Munshi (RA) in Faridpur was set on fire and various books including the Quran were burned.

On August 16, the shrine of Shahajahan Pagla in Comilla was demolished with a bulldozer. On August 25, the shrine of Aynal Shah in Narayanganj was demolished and destroyed. On August 29, the shrine of Ali Pagla in Sirajganj was similarly destroyed.

In addition, information about attacks on 6 more shrines in August was known, but the day and date were not known. These are: Bar Aulia Shrine in Chittagong, Ma Jatali Shrine adjacent to Bangla Academy in Dhaka, Akkel Ali Shah Shrine in Raipura Upazila of Narsingdi, Baba Golap Shah Shrine, Alim Shah Chishti Shrine and Ayna Dargah of Sanmandi located in Sonargaon Upazila of Narayanganj were attacked, vandalized, arsonized and looted.

September – 2024

Ismail Pagla Shrine in Sirajganj was vandalized, looted and arsonized on September 3. Regular religious and weekly ceremonies were held here, but now all have stopped.

The attackers dug up the graves of three other shrines in Sirajganj and took them to the bone. On September 9, three shrines located in the premises of Hazrat Bara Pir Ghausul Azam Darbar Sharif (Altaf Sadhu) were vandalized, the remains of the bodies were taken from the graves, and various structures at the shrines were vandalized, looted, and set on fire.

The shrine of Dewanbagh Khanka Sharif in Narayanganj was attacked and set on fire on September 6. Four people were injured here. Two other shrines in Dewanbagh were attacked. On September 8, the Dewanbagh Darbar Sharif in Trishal, Mymensingh was attacked and vandalized, and on September 10, Khankay Dewanbagi in Comilla was attacked and vandalized. At least fifty people were injured in the attacks in Mymensingh.

On September 7, the shrine of Hanif Pagla in Narsingdi was attacked and vandalized. At that time, preparations for Urs were underway, and all arrangements were looted and destroyed.

On September 9, six shrines were simultaneously vandalized, looted and set on fire in Nangalkot, Comilla. These are – Yajora Darbar Sharif (Hiajora Tipu Astana), Pir Golam Mohinuddin alias Tipu Astana (Tipur Baper Dayal Abul Kashem Mazar), Roushan Shah (Tetoia Mazar) Mazar, Dewan Shah’s Mazar, Khatachou village Mazar, Khatachou Shah Jalal Mazar Sharif.

On September 10, 9 mausoleums were vandalized, looted and set on fire in Nangalkot, Comilla. These are – Subedar Abdur Rahim’s Mazar, Habildar Abul Kashem’s Mazar, Nizam Uddin’s Graveyard, Abdul Jalil’s Mazar, Khankay Dewanbagi (mentioned earlier), Syed Abdul Gani Hiajuri’s Mazar (Gani Shah Mazar), Udam Shah Mazar, Kerani Sahib’s Mazar and Patten Shah’s Mazar.

On the night of September 10, the Hazrat Hossain Ali Shah Langtar Shrine (Hossain Lengta Shrine) in Rupganj, Narayanganj, was demolished and the adjacent mosque set on fire with an excavator. Urs has been held at the shrine for 78 years, but now everything is quiet. A day later, on the 11th, another shrine in Rupganj, the shrine of Alimuddin Chishti, was attacked in an organized manner.

On September 10, the shrine of ATS M Khalilur Rahman Al Chishti Nizami in Rajshahi and the shrine of Shah Paran in Sylhet were attacked and vandalized. On the 11th, vandalism, arson and looting were carried out at Manchuria Khankah Sharif in the Saraipukur area of ​​Darusa in Rajshahi metropolis.

On the afternoon of September 11, the shrine of Buchai Pagla in Dhamrai and various structures related to the shrine were demolished with a bulldozer. The next day, on the evening of September 12, another shrine in Dhamrai, the shrine of Barkat Mayer, where the presence of women was noticeable, was attacked and vandalized.

On September 13, the Fakir Karim Shah shrine (Arshed Pagla’s shrine) located in Jajira in Shariatpur and the Majidiya Darbar Sharif shrine (Shalu Shah shrine) in Naria upazila of the same district were vandalized and set on fire.

On the same day, the Fakir Chadu Miji Shah (R.) shrine (the shrine of the dargah house) in Laxminarayanpur area of ​​Noakhali Sadar upazila was vandalized and set on fire. When the shrine of Panch Pir in Gazipur was attacked, the attackers clashed with the devotees of the shrine and some were injured, but the shrine was saved due to resistance. Nearby, the shrines of Shah Sufi Fasih Pagla (Mad Father’s Shrine) and Shah Sufi Chan Mia (Fakir Market Shrine) in the Porabari area of ​​Gazipur were attacked, vandalized, and set on fire. In one day, the shrine of Shah Sufi Abdul Qayyum in Khadimnagar, Sylhet was demolished.

The shrine of Hazrat Shah Rahat Ali (RA) (Shahan Shah Rahat Ali Shah) in Bancharampur, Brahmanbaria was attacked and the premises adjacent to the shrine were vandalized on September 14. On September 15, the shrine of Karamdi Fakir in Bhawal Mirzapur Bazar area of ​​Gazipur was vandalized and set on fire. The shrine of Karamdi Fakir is a very ancient shrine.

On the afternoon of September 16, when a procession was taking place from the shrine of Syed Abu Mohammad Manjarul Karim in Kuliarchar, Kishoreganj, on the occasion of Eid-e-Miladunnabi, anti-mazar activists attacked and vandalized the mosque and the barighar adjacent to the shrine. One person was killed and many others were injured. It is also known as the Six-Suit Shrine.

On the morning of September 20, the attackers vandalized the stairs and donation box of Hazrat Dongka Shah (Rah.) Mokam (shrine) located in Hossain Bakht Chattar, Sunamganj. Although the attackers retreated in the presence of the army, they attacked again on the night of February 5, 2025.

The shrine of Shah Paran in Dadshi Singa village of Rajbari Sadar upazila was vandalized on the night of September 28.

On the night of September 29, during the Urs, Rashidiya Darbar Sharif in Charsadipur, Kushtia was attacked, vandalized and set on fire. On the same day, the shrines and houses of Lalon Anandadham in Bhanga Upazila of Faridpur, Khwaja Shah Sufi Dewan Abdur Rashid Al Chishti Nizami (RA) Darbar Sharif in Manikganj, and Sufi saint Kazi Afsar Uddin of Savar were attacked, vandalized, and set on fire. Kazi Afsar Uddin’s house is also known as the house of his son Kazi Javeher Ahmed.

On September 12, the local administration banned music and dancing at the residence of Shah Arefin (RA) in Tahirpur Upazila of Sunamganj due to fears of an attack.

October – 2024

The shrine of Shah Mohammad Abdur Rahman Bhandari in Biska village of Tarakanda Upazila of Mymensingh district was attacked on October 8.

The month of October was a brief respite from the attacks, vandalism, looting, arson, and demolition.

November – 2024

The shrine of Belal Pir in Charpauli area of ​​​​Tangail Sadar Upazila was attacked, vandalized and looted on November 22.

The residence of Aminul Haque Pagla located in Dilalpur, Narsingdi was attacked and evicted on November 23.

On November 25, an attack was carried out during the Sadhusanga at the public pilgrimage site of Monirampur, Jessore.

On November 26, an attack was carried out during the four-day Urs at Murshidpur Darbar Sharif in Sherpur Sadar Upazila. Here, the devotees of the shrine were injured while resisting.

December – 2024

On December 25, the shrine of Nurai Pir in Atpara, Netrokona was attacked and vandalized, and the Urs was stopped. On December 30, an attack was carried out during the preparation for the Urs at Al Chishti Shrine located in Lochangar village of Natore.

From August 5, 2024 to December 31, 84 shrines, dargahs and residences of pirs were attacked. In addition, the administration itself banned music and dancing due to fears of an attack on a shrine.

In 2025, similar attacks, vandalism, arson, demolition, and clashes are ongoing. Moreover, there are also incidents of the administration prohibiting the normal activities of shrines. Where the responsibility of the administration is to provide security, instead of providing security, they are banning it.

January – 2025

On January 8, the Syed Kalu Shah shrine in Mymensingh city was attacked during the Urs. On January 10, the shrine of Mujibur Rahman Siddiqui in Panchagarh Sadar was attacked, vandalized, and looted.

The shrine of Shukur Ali Shah Fakir in Dhamrai Upazila of Dhaka was attacked and vandalized on the evening of January 23 during the Urs.

In January, 7 shrines were attacked and vandalized in Narsingdi district alone. On January 23, the shrine of Kheta Shah in Karimpur village of Narsingdi Sadar, on January 24, the shrine of Shah Sufi Hazrat Haqsab Shah (Haq Pagla) in Darinabipur village, on January 25, the shrine of Shah Sufi Hazrat Fazlu Shah in Kalaigobindpur village, the shrine of Mohammad Ali Munshi in Champaknagar village, the residence of Shah Sufi Hazrat Ayub Ali Shah in Srinagar village, and the shrine of Hanif Shah in Khotmora village of Monohardi upazila were attacked and vandalized.

February – 2025

On February 9, the Pir Sahib of Herabon Pak Darbar Sharif in Sripur, Gazipur, was arrested and handed over to the police.

On February 17, the shrine of Madhu Darvesh in Chatkhil, Noakhali was demolished and razed to the ground, and on February 20, the shrine of Ayub Ali Darvesh in Munshi Taluk village of Sadar Upazila was attacked during the Urs, destroying the shrine and the pandal and setting it on fire. On the night of February 19, the shrine of Syed Muhammad Shayar Muhammad Shah Al Qaderi Al Chishti in Pekua, Cox’s Bazar was attacked and vandalized during the Urs.

On the morning of February 21, the shrine of Rashid Sarkar in Singair, Manikganj, clashed between the two sides after the Urs celebration was disrupted and the Urs was disrupted.

March – 2025

On March 1, the shrine of Rahim Bhandari in Ghoraghat, Dinajpur was vandalized, looted and set on fire in broad daylight. On the night of March 3, the shrine of Shah Newaz Fakir (Langta Fakir) was vandalized in Kendua, Netrokona.

On March 7, a clash broke out between the two sides when they tried to attack the shrine of Hekim Shah in Ajmiriganj, Habiganj.

The shrine of Ismail Shah was vandalized and set on fire during the Urs in Amtoli, Barguna on March 17.

April – 2025

On April 13, the shrine of Nurai Pir in Rangamatia village, Fulbaria upazila, Mymensingh was attacked, vandalized and set on fire.

There were no reports of attacks on the shrine after April. However, multiple sources have confirmed that there is a threat to the shrine. As a result, the shrines are silent, silent and empty, just ordinary graves!

According to a report by the human rights organization Mandhaka Sanskriti Foundation (MSF) on October 1, at least one person was killed and 43 injured in attacks on shrines in August and September.

Our investigation revealed that several shrines, including the Fasih Pagla shrine in Porabari in Gazipur, the Shamchu Pagla shrine in Brahmanbaria, the Dongka Shah shrine in Sunamganj, and the Syed Reza Sarwar shrine in Rupganj in Narayanganj, have been attacked multiple times and some shrines have been razed to the ground with bulldozers. In some shrines, devotees have been publicly humiliated by forcibly cutting their hair and beards.

The traditions of Islamic mysticism are known as tariqas or silsilas. Each tariqa has saints with characteristics such as pirs, fakirs, and pagals. Again, the Kalandaria and Madari tariqas are basically madmen’s tariqas. Madmanism has been a prevalent trend among saints since ancient times in Semitic and Indian traditions.

In Sufi terminology, madmen who are immersed in the love of the Creator, bypassing all social norms and rules, are called ‘Majub’. The investigation shows that among the four types of institutions in the mystical tradition of Islamic tradition, the madmen’s shrines, especially the madmen’s shrines, have been the most affected. Where everyone, regardless of religion, caste, or gender, had access and regular music practice as part of prayers. Annual Urs and fairs were held.

The shrine has its own culture. A devotional cultural atmosphere prevails here. People of all religions, all castes, and both men and women meet in the shrine. They pray as they please. There is no religious strictness. The shrine is a spiritual free zone. By destroying the shrine, music practice is stopped, women are being prevented from entering and expressing their devotion. A class of people have started destroying the shrines after failing to forcefully impose a different path and are seeking to destroy the shrine’s own culture.

A professor, who did not want to be named, said about the attack on the shrine after August 5, that the current government in power in Bangladesh is mainly supported by far-right political forces. As a result, under such a government, Sufi sects, women, free thought, freedom of speech, non-communalism, and not only religious minorities but also Muslims who disagree with the far-right are being and will be attacked. This is a natural consequence, although worrying and obvious.