Clash in Panchagarh: A heartbreaking reunion

Abu Bakkar Siddique from Natore met his engineer son at Panchagarh Sadar upazila after a few months. They had planned to enjoy each other's company at Jalsa Salana, an annual gathering for the people of Ahmadiyya community.

But hours after they met, the father and son reunion turned into a tragedy as his son Jahid Hasan, 23, became a victim of brutality.

Two people, including Jahid, were killed in a clash between law enforcers and supporters of some Islamist organisations who were demonstrating against Jalsa Salana of the Ahmadiyya community.

Jahid graduated in engineering from TMSS University of Bogura recently and joined a private company.

He joined Jalsa Salana on Friday morning from Dhaka while his father reached the venue on Thursday from their ancestral house.

While visiting the spot at Ahmednagar, Abu Bakkar was seen sitting speechless on a vehicle carrying his son's body. He talked to this correspondent just before he left Jalsa compound along with the body of his son yesterday afternoon.

Tears were rolling down his cheek. "We came to join a holy event but unfortunately, my son met the tragic end of his life, which was beyond my imagination. Everything has finished... Now I have nothing to look forward to..."

At the press conference held at the venue yesterday afternoon, Ahmad Tabshir Chowdhury, convener of the Jalsa Salana, a three-day event organised by the Ahmadiyyas at Ahmednagar, said Jahid was stabbed to death.

He was tasked with maintaining discipline on the premises. When the western side of the Jalsa venue came under attack, he and several others were there to resist it.

The attackers beat him mercilessly, he said.

"Once he was unconscious, they took him to the banks of Karatoa river, a few 100 yards away from the Jalsa premises, and stabbed him in the head and neck, leaving him dead," Chowdhury said.

The convener of the jalsa said the annual congregation of the community was being held here for the last 72 years peacefully.

A section of fanatic people first attacked the jalsa in 2019 postponing the occasion, he claimed.

Last year, the programme was held as usual.

But this time, leaders and activists of several Islamist organisations, including the Islamic Andolon Bangladesh, were staging demonstrations since Thursday demanding cancellation of the event.

After Juma prayers, they gathered at the town's Chowrangi intersection, brought out a procession and started marching towards the venue.

The clash ensued as police obstructed the procession.

The unruly people also looted and torched the houses of the people of Ahmadiyya community.