Shah Ali Shrine in Mirpur attacked, Jamaat denies allegation of involvement

A group of people attacked the Shah Ali shrine in Mirpur, Dhaka, in the wee hours of Friday, using sticks and forcing devotees of the saint to flee.

Videos and photos of the incident have already gone viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism.

Visitors and locals have accused leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami of carrying out the attack. Police have also said they have received similar allegations. However, Jamaat has denied any involvement.

The attack has raised fears among devotees of Shah Ali, amid concerns over a continuing pattern of shrine attacks across the country since the July 2024 mass uprising.

The centuries-old shrine of Shah Ali Baghdadi in Section 1 of Mirpur hosts weekly gatherings every Thursday night, attended by devotees from Dhaka and other parts of the country. Locals said the attack occurred during such a gathering when a group of people carrying sticks suddenly arrived and began assaulting devotees and followers.

Videos circulating on social media show several people beating visitors at the shrine with sticks.

Witnesses and police sources said devotees and visitors from different areas were sitting on mats and polythene sheets on the eastern side of the shrine premises, where hawkers were also selling goods. Around 1:00 am on Friday, a group of people wearing surgical masks and carrying sticks attacked them, causing panic and a stampede-like situation. Several people were injured as devotees fled the scene.

Speaking about the incident, Shah Ali police station officer-in-charge (OC) Jahangir Alam told Prothom Alo that he arrived at the scene towards the end of the attack.

“On the eastern side of the shrine, some men and women who had come from outside were sitting there on mats. It is being heard that there was a gathering involving drug consumption. However, no one smokes cannabis in the place where Friday prayers are held,” he said.

The police official further said they had heard that those involved in the attack were linked to Jamaat-Shibir.

Deputy Commissioner of Mirpur Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Md Mostak Sarkar, told Prothom Alo that a faction of Jamaat-Shibir carried out the attack.

The area where the Shah Ali shrine is located falls under Dhaka-14 constituency. In the 13th parliamentary election held in February, Jamaat candidate Mir Ahmad bin Qasem (Arman) was elected MP from this seat.

When contacted, Selim Uddin, Ameer of Jamaat’s Dhaka City North unit, denied the allegations, saying there was no reason for Jamaat-Shibir members to carry out such an attack and that they were not involved.

OC Jahangir Alam said an investigation is underway to identify those responsible, and no arrests have been made so far. No case had been filed until Friday evening.

According to a report by Sufi research organisation Maqam: Centre for Sufi Heritage, some 97 shrine attacks were reported across the country between August 2024 and December 2025, with the highest number occurring in Dhaka and Chattogram divisions.