Cox’s Bazar: Man dies in clash over janaza of Sayedee

A man has died during a clash with the police over holding a gayebana janaza for Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee in Chakaria upazila in Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday. 

The incident took place in the Namarchiringa area of Chakaria municipality around 4:00 pm. Jamaat claimed that the police shot the man – Forkanur Rahman, 50, son of late Fazlur Rahman – dead, but the police refuted the claim.

Mahafuzul Islam, superintendent of Cox’s Bazar police, said they were trying to quell the situation created over the gayebana Janaza. However, he claimed that the police did not open fire during the incident.

According to local sources, the location of the gayebana janaza was changed three times as the upazila administration did not permit any prayers for Delwar Hossain Sayedee. Eventually, a decision was made to hold the prayer in the Namarchiringa area.

Locals said some people were heading to the location to attend the Janaza, while others were returning after participating in the prayer with the first group around 4:00 pm.

At one point, they became agitated and started chanting slogans, noticing the local police station officer-in-charge (OC), Jabed Mahmud, passing through the road in his vehicle. Some of them attacked the vehicle, prompting the police to fire blanks to disperse them.

Later, around 20 to 30 masked individuals and additional policemen appeared in the scene, resulting in a triangular clash there. It resulted in one fatality and six to seven other individuals receiving injuries.

Iftekharul Islam, medical officer of Chakaria upazila health complex, said the man succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital. It seems he died from excessive bleeding due to bullet wounds in his head.

OC Jabed Mahmud said six police officers, including himself, sustained injuries while trying to control the clash. The incident mainly involved two opposing groups, but he was unable to determine their identities.

Abdullah Al Faruk, ameer (chief) of Jamaat’s Cox’s Bazar unit, identified Forkan as a Jamaat activist and alleged that he died in police firing. He also claimed that many others received bullet injuries.

JP Dewan, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Chakaria, said no one had been granted permission to hold the gayebana janaza. They held the prayer forcefully, attacked the police with a procession, and vandalised vehicles.
He added that the authorities will take legal action over the incident