TDS Desk

A fund worth Tk1 crore is being established under the supervision of Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain for the family of slain lawyer Saiful Islam Alif, killed amid clashes on the premises of a Chittagong court on Tuesday.

The Alhaj Shamsul Hoque Foundation, a humanitarian organization, will raise money for this fund, the adviser told journalists after visiting Saiful’s grave in Pantrisha village, Lohagara, Chittagong, on Friday.

Khalid serves as an adviser to the foundation.

He said Saiful could have contributed significantly to upholding the rule of law, human rights, and justice but was brutally murdered.

The culprits involved in this heinous crime will not be spared, and the government will ensure the highest punishment under the law, he added.

The adviser said Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony, but various domestic and international reactionary groups are conspiring to disrupt this harmony.

Such plots must not succeed, and communal unity must be preserved, he added.

When asked about banning the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Khalid said the matter is sub judice and refrained from commenting further.

Regarding the government’s actions to bring the murderers to justice, Primary and Mass Education Adviser Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, who was also there, mentioned that many suspects have already been apprehended.

The government is taking a strict stance on this matter, ensuring a fair investigation, proper justice, and adequate punishment for the culprits, he added.

He urged everyone to remain vigilant to prevent any provocative incidents and safeguard the country’s image at home and abroad.

Later, the two advisers met Saiful Islam’s family members.

The religious affairs adviser handed Tk lakh in financial assistance as part of the promised Tk1 crore fund, a Tk5 lakh cheque from the As-Sunnah Foundation, and Tk1 lakh from the Al Manahil Foundation, for the family’s livelihood, medical needs, and education.

On Tuesday afternoon, followers of Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson for the Sanatan Jagaran Jote a former leader of Iskcon, clashed with law enforcement near a Chittagong court after his bail was denied.

The clashes escalated, and during the turmoil, lawyer Saiful Islam was reportedly picked up from the court area and hacked to death.