‘Burial obstruction’: Jamaat forms probe committee over Pirojpur incident

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Tuesday formed a special committee to probe the recent incident of obstruction of burial in Pirojpur.

The Central Executive Council of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami held a special meeting at its central office chaired by Jamaat Ameer and Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman MP where the decision was taken.

A two-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident. Its members are Saiful Alam Khan Milon MP and Nurul Islam Bulbul MP.

The committee will investigate the incident fairly and impartially to determine whether anyone from the organisation was involved.

The local organisation has been instructed to provide all-out cooperation to the investigation committee.

The committee will submit its investigation report within three days.

On Saturday, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists in Pirojpur opposed the burial of freedom fighter Manik Pashari in his family graveyard.

Pashari had testified before the International Crimes Tribunal against former Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi in a case involving crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War. He was eventually buried under police protection.

Condemning the incident, National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam on Monday in a Facebook post, said, “The right to perform funeral prayers and the right to bury a body are the most basic human and religious rights of any person.”

Physician and politician Tasnim Jara had also criticised Jamaat leaders and activists over the incident.

"While still in opposition, they are obstructing burials in people's own homesteads. What will they do if they come to power?" Jara wrote in a post.