Gazipur, October 25, 2025 (Voice of Minorities): Police have yet to find any concrete evidence linking any individual or organization to the abduction of Mufti Muhammad Mohibullah Miaji, the Khatib and Imam of Tongi BTCL Colony Jame Mosque in Gazipur.
In a press release issued on Saturday afternoon, the Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) stated that a regular case has already been filed with Tongi East Police Station over the incident. The statement added that law enforcement authorities began their investigation even before the case was formally registered, considering the matter with utmost importance due to the victim’s status as a respected Islamic scholar.
However, GMP clarified that as of now, there is no conclusive evidence implicating ISKCON or any other individual or organization. Police urged everyone to refrain from assigning blame until the investigation is complete and appealed to the public to remain patient and cooperate by sharing any credible information that may assist in solving the case.
Mufti Mohibullah Miaji (65) was found in a rural area of Panchagarh on Thursday morning, a day after he went missing from Gazipur. Locals discovered him in a shackled condition—his legs tied to a banana tree—and immediately took him to a nearby hospital for treatment.
From his hospital bed, the imam recounted that while walking near his home, four to five men emerged from an ambulance and forcibly abducted him. He said the kidnappers, though speaking fluent Bangla, “did not seem to be Bangladeshi.” His eyes were blindfolded, and he was physically assaulted, particularly at the site of a previous surgical wound. The abductors also took away his mobile phone and verbally abused him and his family using obscene language.
The imam revealed that he had been receiving anonymous threatening letters for the past 11 months, warning him to refrain from making statements about Islam and the Qur’an and to instead support ISKCON and the concept of “Akhand Bharat” (Undivided India).
Following the incident, a group called Iman-Aqidah Rokkha Committee (Committee for the Protection of Faith and Belief) staged demonstrations in Panchagarh, demanding a ban on ISKCON. However, the group has yet to provide any concrete evidence linking ISKCON to the abduction. Social media users have urged authorities to trace the ambulance allegedly used in the kidnapping, believing that could lead to identifying the culprits.
Meanwhile, several analysts have cautioned that accusing ISKCON prematurely could be part of a deliberate campaign by certain Islamist groups to inflame sectarian tensions. They warned that such actions could hinder the investigation and worsen communal harmony.
On Friday (October 24), following Jumu’ah prayers, processions demanding a ban on ISKCON were held outside several mosques across Dhaka. A large gathering under the banner Intifada Bangladesh took place at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
Similar demonstrations were reported from Kamrangirchar, Uttara, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Asad Gate, and Jigatala. Student protests also erupted at Jagannath University, Dhaka College, Titumir College, Bangladesh Agricultural University, and several other educational institutions.
In Chattogram, Hefazat-e-Islam organized a protest rally at the Hat Hazari Dak Bungalow premises, echoing the same demand. Rallies were also held in Gazipur’s Kapasia, Panchagarh, Rajshahi University, RUET, Islamic University, Barishal University, Cumilla, Rangpur, Kishoreganj, Faridpur, Saidpur, Sylhet, Bhola’s Charfasson, and Manikchhari, among other locations.
ISKCON Bangladesh’s General Secretary Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari dismissed the allegations, stating that their organization is dedicated to peaceful religious practice, humanitarian service, and interfaith harmony. He said, “Our mission is to promote compassion, protect the rights of minorities, and uphold social harmony. If the government’s intelligence agencies find any basis for these accusations, we are ready to cooperate fully with their investigation.”
