His fault was slight delay in azan
Staff Correspondent
Inside
a mosque near Riyadh, a Saudi Arabian man shot a Bangladeshi muezzin
dead reportedly for failing to make prayer call on time.
The deceased, Mohammed Rafiq Islam, 32, was a resident of Kholapara village of Ashuganj under Brahmanbaria, said Mizanur Rahman, second secretary (labour wing) at Bangladesh embassy in Riyadh.
The incident took place around 3:30pm Sunday during Asr prayers inside the mosque at Ortawwiyah in Majmaah district, 30km from the Riyadh city centre, the embassy official told The Daily Star over the phone yesterday.
He also said the Saudi man, who was the nephew of Rafiq's employer in that country, was infuriated as the Bangladeshi reportedly made 15-minute delay in making the prayer call that day.
“Later, the killer opened fire on Rafiq and another man inside the mosque,” Mizanur added.
According to Arab News, when Saudi police arrived at the spot, they found the Bangladeshi in a pool of blood.
The murder accused was arrested the same day. According to police, he was a psychiatric patient at a nearby hospital. His name, however, could not be known.
“Saudi police are investigating the matter. We will take action after receiving the police probe report,” Mizanur said, adding that a local Sharia court would hear the murder case in the future.
Rafiq's brother Mohammad Ibrahim has demanded capital punishment to the killer.
“I want justice. My innocent brother was killed while he was praying,” he said, adding that the victim had been working for the same employer for the last 16 years.
Rafiq left behind his wife and two children aged three and five years.
The body of the Bangladeshi was kept at Majmaah General Hospital, said Mohamed Sarwar Alam, labour counsellor at the Bangladesh embassy.
He said the embassy's legal team was sorting out the paperwork of the deceased and had informed his family about the tragedy.
The counsellor also said the victim's family could file a case with the Saudi court in connection with the murder and they could also go to the local labour court for compensation.
The other injured in Sunday's firing was an Indian man and he sustained two bullet injuries. He was being treated at King Khaled Hospital in Majmaah, said Arab News.
The deceased, Mohammed Rafiq Islam, 32, was a resident of Kholapara village of Ashuganj under Brahmanbaria, said Mizanur Rahman, second secretary (labour wing) at Bangladesh embassy in Riyadh.
The incident took place around 3:30pm Sunday during Asr prayers inside the mosque at Ortawwiyah in Majmaah district, 30km from the Riyadh city centre, the embassy official told The Daily Star over the phone yesterday.
He also said the Saudi man, who was the nephew of Rafiq's employer in that country, was infuriated as the Bangladeshi reportedly made 15-minute delay in making the prayer call that day.
“Later, the killer opened fire on Rafiq and another man inside the mosque,” Mizanur added.
According to Arab News, when Saudi police arrived at the spot, they found the Bangladeshi in a pool of blood.
The murder accused was arrested the same day. According to police, he was a psychiatric patient at a nearby hospital. His name, however, could not be known.
“Saudi police are investigating the matter. We will take action after receiving the police probe report,” Mizanur said, adding that a local Sharia court would hear the murder case in the future.
Rafiq's brother Mohammad Ibrahim has demanded capital punishment to the killer.
“I want justice. My innocent brother was killed while he was praying,” he said, adding that the victim had been working for the same employer for the last 16 years.
Rafiq left behind his wife and two children aged three and five years.
The body of the Bangladeshi was kept at Majmaah General Hospital, said Mohamed Sarwar Alam, labour counsellor at the Bangladesh embassy.
He said the embassy's legal team was sorting out the paperwork of the deceased and had informed his family about the tragedy.
The counsellor also said the victim's family could file a case with the Saudi court in connection with the murder and they could also go to the local labour court for compensation.
The other injured in Sunday's firing was an Indian man and he sustained two bullet injuries. He was being treated at King Khaled Hospital in Majmaah, said Arab News.
Published: 12:00 am Friday, December 12, 2014
Last modified: 12:32 am Friday, December 12, 2014
