Dhaka: A group of unidentified miscreants attacked an Islamic speaker and even chopped off his tongue in Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria area on Saturday.

The victim was identified as Maulana Shariful Islam Bhuiyan.

He was a lecturer in the Arabic department of Sreepur Islamia Fazil Madrasa in Bijoynagar upazila.

Sources told Dhaka Tribune that Shariful participated in the mahfil in Daulatbari area of Bijoynagar Saturday night.

He gave a speech criticizing the Shia Muslims in the mahfil. On the way home on a motorcycle, some unknown youths stopped his motorcycle and attacked him in Azampur railway station area of Akhaura upazila, the newspaper reported.

Another person, identified as Obaidullah, 34, who was with Shariful on the motorcycle, was injured.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Assistant Professor (Arabic) of Sreepur Islamia Fazil Madrasa, Bijoynagar upazila, told Dhaka Tribune: “The attackers ran away after Shariful started screaming. Later, he was rescued and first taken to Brahmanbaria General Hospital. Later, he was sent to Dhaka for advanced treatment.”

No written complaint has been filed so far.