Staff Reporter:
A violent protest in Rajbari’s Goalanda upazila on Friday left at least 50 people injured after demonstrators vandalised and set fire to the house of Nurul Haque, widely known as Nural Pagla, before exhuming and burning his body.
The incident occurred in Jurain Mollapara area of Ward 5 under Goalanda Municipality when a rally spiralled into violence. Protesters vandalised the Goalanda Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s (UNO) car, two police vehicles, and later stormed into Nural Pagla’s grave.
Goalanda UNO Nahidur Rahman confirmed the matter.
Witnesses said the mob vandalised Nurul’s house and Darbar Sharif, set them ablaze, and dug up his body before burning it near the Padma river bend, close to Goalanda Bus Stand on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway.
Law enforcement, including police, RAB and army personnel, rushed to the spot and worked for hours to control the situation. Firefighters also joined efforts to douse the blaze.
Local sources said Nurul, who claimed to be Imam Mahdi and later even God, established a Darbar Sharif at his residence. He died of age-related illness on 23 August. His burial — 12 feet above the ground and painted in the pattern of the Holy Kaaba — drew fierce criticism from Tawhidi Janata, who accused his followers of anti-Islamic practices.
On 2 September, the protesters held a press conference demanding the grave be levelled by Thursday, threatening a “March for Goalanda” if unmet. In response, Darbar devotees held their own press briefing Friday morning, saying adjustments were made, including lowering the grave, changing its colour, and removing the signboard declaring it “Imam Mahdi Darbar Sharif.”
Despite these assurances, protesters gathered at Muktijoddha Shaheed Fakir Mohiuddin Ansar Club field after Jummah prayers. They marched towards the Darbar and clashed with its followers, who resisted with brickbats. Both sides hurled stones, leaving over 50 people injured, including five policemen and two administration officials, according to Dr Kaushik Kumar Das of Goalanda Upazila Health Complex.
Rajbari Superintendent of Police Kamrul Islam said the situation has since been brought under control and the Darbar is under police security.
“The exact number of casualties is still being verified,” he added.
