Over 50 were injured as Islamist organizations coordinated protests against minority Ahmadiyya Muslims of Bangladesh. Protests led by three Islamist organizations — Sammilito Khatme Nabuwat Shangrakkhan Parishad, Iman Akida Rokkha Committee and Touhidi Janata turned ugly Tuesday afternoon as thousands of students from Islamic seminaries also joined in.

There mob vandalized several houses and burned down shops belonging to members of the Ahmadiyya community in Ahmednagar village of Panchagarh. Local media reported that at least 50 people, including police, were injured in the Tuesday night mob attack. Panchagarh Sadar Hospital’s resident medical officer Pradip Kumar Banik said that at least of 1 of the injured was in critical condition.

The protestors demanded shutdown of the annual convention of Ahmadiyya community and urged the government to declare the community a non-Muslim minority.

On Wednesday, in a meeting with local Islamic clerics and police officers Panchagarh Deputy Commissioner Sabina Yasmin gave her assurance that the Ahmadi community would not be allowed to organize the convention in Panchagarh.

Golam Azad, additional deputy commissioner general of Panchagarh said that “Additional police force including paramilitary units of Border Guard Bangladesh have also been deployed in the village”