JMBF condemns the organised mob killing of Wahiduzzaman Shamim in Satkhira over alleged blasphemy and demands an investigation into Jamaat-e-Islami involvement.
According to reports published by different news media outlets and information received from JMBF's own reliable sources, Shamim, a graduate of the Department of History at Jagannath University, was subjected to successive attacks by violent crowds after an audio recording allegedly containing derogatory religious remarks circulated online.
His younger brother, Tawsif Rahman Sagar, alleged that local Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists mobilised crowds from a nearby party office and participated in the initial attack on the family's residence on 12 October. The family further alleged that the violence was deliberately orchestrated and that Shamim, who reportedly experienced mental health difficulties, was systematically targeted.
JMBF emphasises that these allegations require an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation and that criminal responsibility must be established through credible evidence rather than political affiliation or public accusations.
According to the information received, Shamim was attacked at his residence, subsequently assaulted at a doctor's chamber, and attacked again at a healthcare facility despite police intervention. He was eventually transferred to Satkhira Medical College Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Particularly alarming are reports that an individual identified as Md. Fazlul Haque Amini repeatedly circulated inflammatory Facebook videos allegedly encouraging crowds to mobilise against Shamim and subsequently celebrated his death online.
As of 15 October, no arrests had been made in connection with these alleged online incitements. Police acknowledged awareness of the videos and indicated that action was being taken.
JMBF considers this killing a grave assault on the fundamental principles of human dignity, the rule of law, religious tolerance, and the right to life.
Article 32 of the Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except in accordance with law. Article 31 further guarantees the protection of law, while Article 35(3) safeguards the right to a fair and public trial.
Regardless of the nature of the alleged religious remarks, no individual, political organisation, or religious group possesses the authority to impose punishment outside the judicial process.
Furthermore, Article 6(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Bangladesh is a State Party, protects the inherent right to life and prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life.
Under Articles 2 and 26 of the ICCPR, Bangladesh must ensure effective legal protection and equality before the law without discrimination.
JMBF also recalls that Article 20(2) of the ICCPR requires the prohibition of advocacy of religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence. Any criminal proceedings concerning online incitement must nevertheless respect freedom of expression and applicable legal safeguards.
The reported attacks on Shamim at multiple locations, including a medical facility, raise serious questions about the authorities' compliance with their duty to take reasonable preventive measures against foreseeable threats to life.
The reported mental health difficulties experienced by Shamim further underscore the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals from violence, discrimination, and degrading treatment.
“The brutal killing of Wahiduzzaman Shamim demonstrates the devastating consequences of organised violence in the name of so-called mob justice, religious intolerance, and the failure to uphold the rule of law. No allegation of blasphemy can justify torture, public humiliation, or extrajudicial killing. The reported involvement of political activists and the repeated attacks despite police intervention demand an independent investigation and full accountability. Bangladesh must never become a country where organised mobs replace courts and religious accusations become death sentences.”
JMBF Demands Immediate Action
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) urgently calls upon the Government of Bangladesh to:
- Establish an independent and impartial judicial investigation, headed by a Justice of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, into Shamim's killing, including allegations of involvement by local Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists.
- Identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible, including individuals who organised, directly participated in, or intentionally incited the violence, in accordance with due process.
- Investigate potential police negligence and determine why repeated attacks were not effectively prevented despite the authorities' awareness of the escalating violence.
- Ensure protection for Shamim's family and witnesses, including safeguards against intimidation, retaliation, and political interference.
- Provide appropriate compensation and remedies to the victim's surviving family members, including his two minor children.
- Take effective measures against organised violence carried out in the name of mob justice and religiously motivated vigilantism, while safeguarding freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression, and the right to a fair trial.
JMBF reiterates that the right to life is non-negotiable, justice cannot be administered by mobs, and political or religious affiliation must never provide immunity from criminal accountability.
JMBF urges the international community, including relevant United Nations human rights mechanisms, to closely monitor the investigation and broader patterns of mob violence in Bangladesh.
In solidarity,
Advocate Mohammad Alamgir
Secretary General
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)
CNB Premises
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75008 Paris, France
Email: info@jmbf.org
Website: www.jmbf.org
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JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan international human rights organization registered in France under the French Association Law of 1901 (Registration No. W931027714), committed to defending human rights, promoting social justice, and empowering marginalised communities in Bangladesh and beyond. JMBF is officially registered in the European Union Transparency Register (REG No. 0635235105176-78).
