A 38-year-old man, Wahiduzzaman Shamim, was beaten to death in Debhata, Satkhira, after a crowd was mobilised through Facebook Live over allegations of blasphemy. He was beaten repeatedly.
After police rescued him and took him to hospital, he was attacked there as well. He was then dragged outside and beaten again. After his death, a photograph of his body was posted on Facebook.
An analysis of Facebook posts and videos found that Fazlul Haque Ameni, a resident of Parulia village in Debhata upazila, went live twice from his Facebook profile, Fh Ameni, to gather people.
He first went live at 3:31 pm on Tuesday. During the 19-minute-and-19-second broadcast, he played an audio recording.
Fazlul Haque claimed that the recording captured a conversation involving Shamim. Alleging that Shamim had insulted religion, he demanded appropriate punishment and also disclosed Shamim’s home address during the broadcast.
Fazlul Haque went live again at 5:31 pm, this time from outside a village physician’s chamber, where Shamim was receiving treatment. During the six-minute-and-16-second broadcast, he urged people to gather outside the chamber.
He appeared to be inciting those around him as he streamed live. Within a short time, several hundred people had gathered. They then pressured the village physician to hand Shamim over to them.
A video of the beating shows a large crowd surrounding Shamim as he lies on the ground. Several people can be seen striking him while standing on his chest. Another video shows a procession in Debhata upazila town demanding his punishment, with Fazlul Haque at the front.
Shamim, the son of Shamsul Rahman of Subarnabad village in Debhata upazila, was beaten to death in several attacks on Tuesday. His family alleges that a group led by Fazlul Haque killed him.
Facebook posts after the death
Fazlul Haque published two Facebook posts, at 11:11 pm and 12:08 am on Tuesday night. In the first post, he mocked the fact that Shamim had survived the beating. In the second, he confirmed that Shamim had been killed.
Shamim’s younger brother, Tawsif Rahman, told Prothom Alo that his brother had suffered from mental health problems for a long time. At times, he spoke normally; at others, he behaved incoherently. People in the area knew about his illness, Tawseef said.
He alleged that on Tuesday, while his brother was receiving treatment, a group of people known as Jamaat supporters and led by Fazlul Haque assaulted him. Shamim was later taken to the upazila health complex, where the group attacked him again and beat him to death.
Tawseef said his brother had completed both undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Jagannath University. He had also passed the Kamil examination, an advanced qualification in Islamic studies, and studied homeopathy. He leaves behind a wife and two sons.
How the incident began
According to Shamim’s elder brother, Abdul Jalil, an audio recording of a conversation between Shamim and his wife circulated on Facebook on Monday. Someone had recorded the exchange during an argument between the couple.
Allegations that the recording contained remarks insulting religion sparked tension in the area. A group then attacked their home and attempted to damage its doors and walls, the family alleged.
The family said Shamim was first beaten at Subarnabad market, near his home, after the audio spread. He returned home and attempted suicide by drinking poison. He was subsequently taken to the village physician’s chamber for treatment.
On Tuesday afternoon, a group led by Fazlul Haque pulled Shamim out of the chamber and beat him again, the family alleged. Police rescued him and admitted him to Debhata Upazila Health Complex, but he was assaulted there as well.
Md Saiful Islam of Debhata Upazila Health Complex told Prothom Alo that more than 100 people entered the hospital and beat Shamim. They then dragged him outside and attacked him again. Shamim died on the way to Satkhira Medical College Hospital after being rescued from the crowd.
Accused man’s response
Prothom Alo spoke to Fazlul Haque by phone. He said taking the law into one’s own hands and assaulting someone was a crime. However, he claimed that Islamic law prescribed a different response when someone insulted the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He said he was dissatisfied with how the authorities had handled similar allegations in the past.
Asked about his political affiliation, Fazlul Haque said he was not associated with any political party. However, he said he took it upon himself to protest whenever anyone made derogatory remarks about religion, the Quran or the Prophet Muhammad. He added that he had led protests over such incidents in different areas.
Fazlul Haque said he had once worked as an imam at a mosque. He now gets called to slaughter livestock at the village market and also transport passengers on motorcycle.
Asked about the killing, Debhata upazila Jamaat secretary Imdadul Haque told Prothom Alo that beating someone to death could never be justified. Anyone facing allegations should have been handed over to the law enforcement authorities, he said.
“It is not right to portray this incident as an organisational activity of Jamaat-Shibir. I condemn Shamim’s beating and killing, and Jamaat does not support this kind of violence,” he said.
Family files case
Debhata Police Station officer-in-charge HM Shaheen spoke to Prothom Alo on Thursday afternoon and evening. He said police were taking Fazlul Haque Amini’s alleged incitement in connection with Shamim’s killing seriously.
Police were reviewing his social media activities and statements, and investigating his conduct, he said. An operation was underway to detain him.
The officer added that police had preserved the videos circulating on Facebook. Investigators were using the footage and technological assistance to identify those involved in the attack and beating.
The officer said the family had been asked to file a complaint over the attack at the hospital.
On Thursday night, Shamim’s elder brother Abdul Jalil filed a case naming 10 people, including Fazlul Haque. Another 200 to 250 unidentified people were also named as accused.