Tension in Pirojpur Over Burial of Sayeedi Case Witness Manik Poshari, Body Kept at Police Lines After Guard of Honour

Tension has arisen in Pirojpur over the burial of valiant freedom fighter Manik Poshari, who testified at the International Crimes Tribunal against former Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayeedi in a case over crimes against humanity during 1971. After he was given a guard of honour on Saturday, his body was kept at the district Police Lines, while two different positions emerged in the town over the burial.

Manik Poshari was a resident of Chitalia village in Shankarpasha Union of Pirojpur Sadar Upazila. Family members said that since after August 5, 2024, he had been staying at his daughter's house in Tungipara, Gopalganj. After being ill for two months there, he died at around 10am on Saturday.

Police sources said relatives first brought Manik Poshari's body to the Pirojpur Sadar Upazila Parishad at around noon on Saturday. The body was then taken to the Pirojpur Police Lines, where he was given a guard of honour. After that state honour as a freedom fighter, discussion over the burial place intensified.

Meanwhile, some local people demanded that Manik Poshari not be buried in Pirojpur. Leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami were also seen taking positions at various important points in the town on Saturday. That presence created a cautious atmosphere in the town, although no clash was reported.

Behind this tension lies the history of a long-standing case. Delawar Hossain Sayeedi, a former nayeb-e-ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, was sentenced to imprisonment until death for crimes against humanity in 1971. Manik Poshari testified in that case at the tribunal. Sayeedi died on the night of August 14, 2023, while under treatment in jail custody. After the death of a witness in that case, debate has now resurfaced over his burial.

Abdur Razzak, assistant secretary of Pirojpur district Jamaat-e-Islami, said: 'We are taking positions at various places so that no one can create an unpleasant incident and blame Jamaat for it. A man has died; we have no obstruction regarding his burial.' His statement denied any allegation of obstructing the burial.

However, Abdur Razzak also claimed that Manik Poshari was not a freedom fighter, yet he was given a guard of honour, and they protested that. In other words, their objection, according to their statement, is mainly about the state honour, not about the burial itself. That claim and protest form a large part of the tension.

On the other hand, family members are trying to bury Manik Poshari in Pirojpur itself. Burying him in the soil of his own village is the family's wish. But the demand from a section of local people and the positions taken in the town have complicated the situation, so the body has remained at the Police Lines even after the guard of honour.

Md Shariful Islam, officer-in-charge of Pirojpur Sadar Police Station, said at around 9:30pm on Saturday: 'After the guard of honour, Manik Poshari's body is still inside the Police Lines. His family members are trying to bury him in Pirojpur. When the situation calms down and instructions are received from higher authorities on this matter, the next steps will be announced.'

The police statement makes clear that the decision now depends on instructions from higher authorities. Keeping the situation calm is the administration's priority, and until then the body will remain at the Police Lines. The roles of the family, local people and political positions will determine which way the situation goes.

All eyes are now on the administration's next instruction. Once it arrives, the final decision on the place and time of burial will be known. Whether the tension surrounding the last rites of a freedom fighter and war-crimes case witness will be resolved peacefully is now the biggest question in Pirojpur.