Shakib apologises for ‘visiting’ Kali Puja pandal

Kolkata/Dhaka, November 17

Former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has apologised to a religious fundamentalist and his associates who threatened to kill him for visiting a Kali Puja pandal in Kolkata last week.

“Then again, maybe I shouldn’t have visited the place at all. And if that is what you have against me, I am very sorry... I would try to make sure that this never happens again,” Shakib said.

Last Thursday, Shakib went to Kolkata to inaugurate a Kali Puja pandal. In a video, he was seeing lighting a lamp there. He returned to Bangladesh on Friday.

This was criticised by a Islamic fundamentalists, and a man identified as Mohsin Talukder issued a death threat against him, appearing on Facebook carrying a large machete. Following this, Shakib apologised. Talukder was today arrested by an anti-terror police force.

Taslima enraged

Taslima Nasreen, the Bangladesh writer who has been residing in exile out of her country, reacted angrily to the ‘meek’ surrender by Shakib. “It’s not uncommon for Muslims to go to Puja fest in B’desh. Shakib didn’t need to say that he’s a proud Muslim, he won’t go to puja fest, his religion is above other religions. He is protected, the terrorist was arrested,” Nasreen wrote on Twitter. — TNS