UPDATE: New Footage Emerges of the Extremist Violence in Bangladesh

UPDATE 2nd of May 2025 - New footage has emerged from Bangladesh showing a violent mob attacking Mustafa Kawsar during the recent wave of extremist unrest.

Several self-identified Muslim extremist scholars have openly admitted to physically assaulting Mustafa and have shared additional videos of the brutality on social media. One such post reads:

"We beat him thoroughly and then took him to the police station. He is now in police custody, Alhamdulillah. I have satisfied my desire.I will upload the video shortly. A case is going to be filed very soon, Insha’Allah.Currently, Abdur Rahim Riaz, Mahmudul Hasan, and the elders of the sub-district are at the police station, along with M. Bayezid Gazi, M. Sanaullah, Md. Redwan Islam Ridoy, and Jakaria Khan.Special congratulations to all of you.The funniest part is that I feel blessed today to have made a garland of shoes—by taking thread from a rickshaw puller—and personally placing it around his neck with my own hands."

UPDATE 1st of May 2025 - Facebook groups in Bangladesh shared the footage of the abduction of Mustafa Kawsar in groups with 53,000 members. This caption reads: 'While taking the man who claimed to be a soldier of Imam Mahdi to the police station in Galachipa.'

The Human Rights Department published the following statement concerning the arrest:

"We strongly condemn the brutal, degrading, and inhumane treatment inflicted on Mostafa Kawsar in Bangladesh by individuals associated with the “Golachipa Upazila Imam Parishad,” an organization of local religious leaders and imams, along with a mob of over 1,000 religious extremists. The public acts of violence—dragging him through the streets, assaulting him, and placing a garland of shoes around his neck—are outrageous violations of human dignity and international human rights standards.

This appalling act of religiously motivated mob violence is a blatant violation of Mostafa Kawsar’s fundamental rights, including his right to freedom of belief, protection from cruel and degrading treatment, and personal security.

We demand that the Bangladeshi authorities immediately release Mostafa Kawsar from custody, ensure his safety, and guarantee the protection of all members of the faith who may be at risk. Those responsible for carrying out and participating in this violent attack must be held accountable and swiftly brought to justice.

Our organization will pursue this matter at every level, both locally and internationally, and will not tolerate our members being subjected to such barbaric treatment. We will not rest until the perpetrators of this outrageous act are brought to justice without delay."

Dhakka, 30th of April 2025 - We are deeply concerned by the enforced disappearance of Mustafa Kawsar, a member of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in Bangladesh, who was taken from his home earlier today, by a group of extremist men identified as Imams and followers from his local mosque. The incident appears to be the culmination of ongoing harassment and intimidation against Mustafa and the other members of the faith in Bangladesh.

Video footage shows a crowd of men in traditional Sunni attire taking Mustafa from his home in Dhakka. According to the Outreach Department, which was in contact with Mustafa shortly before he was taken, the group forcibly entered Mustafa's premises after he had hung the Black Banner on his house. He has not been seen or heard from since. A fellow member from Bangladesh is currently attempting to locate him.

The crowd gathered at the local mosque before storming the house, where they planned the kidnaping. This case is a confirmed act of religious persecution by Sunni extremists. A journalist secretly recorded the crowd and sent the footage to The Divine Just State Magazine.

Bystanders reported that he was beaten, his hair was pulled, and he was subjected to verbal abuse.

This incident follows a previous episode of religious harassment on February 11, 2025, when Mustafa Kawsar and Sabirul Islam were publicly confronted while distributing posters related to their faith in Bashundhara Residential Area, Dhaka. The posters, which included the Star of David, were met with immediate hostility by locals and a mosque Imam, who accused them of working for foreign governments and engaging in blasphemy. A crowd of 30–40 people gathered, aggressively interrogating the two men, threatening to burn the posters, and attempting to involve police authorities. The situation escalated to the point where the two men were forced to flee after being rescued by a bystander.

Bangladesh has a documented history of enforced disappearances, as well as thousands of cases of violence against minorities—including at least 45 murders, 25 gang rapes, and 102 attacks on homes and businesses.