On the night of March 16, 2025, a brutal attack took place at the Ismail Shah shrine in Amtali, Barguna, during the annual Urs celebration, leaving at least 20 people injured. Eyewitnesses report that local leaders of the Islamic Movement of Bangladesh led a group of over a hundred individuals who demanded the cessation of shrine worship and musical performances. When their demands were refused, violence erupted. The attackers set fire to the shrine’s tents and meeting halls, looted donation boxes, and viciously assaulted Sufi followers. This is not an isolated incident but part of an ongoing pattern of religious violence across the country.
