A muezzin was critically injured after being stabbed by unknown assailants while performing the call to dawn prayers in Natore’s Naldanga sub-district. The horrifying attack took place early on Monday morning, 5 October, inside the Char Bangalpara Jame Mosque, located under the jurisdiction of Piprul Union.
The victim, identified as 50-year-old Md Sayed Islam, son of the late Shahad Hossain, is a respected resident of the Char Bangalpara area. He was in the middle of reciting the Fajr azan when the assailants launched their sudden assault, cutting his recitation short.
Suspicion was immediately raised amongst nearby residents when the loudspeaker abruptly went silent mid-azan. Sensing that something had gone terribly wrong inside the house of worship, locals rushed to the mosque to investigate. Upon entering the premises, they discovered the muezzin lying incapacitated on the floor, bleeding profusely from stab wounds.
As news of the attack spread across the village, the victim’s brother, supported by distraught local residents, promptly rescued him from the scene. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where he remains under active medical care. Deeply shaken by the violent incident inside a sacred sanctuary, the local community has voiced strong outrage and demanded the swift arrest and exemplary punishment of those responsible.
Police authorities have initiated an investigation into the stabbing. Monowar Jahan, the Officer-in-Charge of Naldanga Police Station, confirmed that the injured muezzin is currently receiving treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. He assured the public that rigorous legal action is underway to identify the culprits and bring them to justice.
Incidents of violence within places of worship trigger severe concern over public safety and social cohesion in rural communities. The police are examining various angles, including personal disputes or premeditated malice, to ascertain the underlying motive behind the horrific assault. Additional police forces have been alerted in the region to maintain order while law enforcement gathers evidence to track down the perpetrators.
