Land disputes leave one dead, 25 injured

A man was killed and at least 25 others were injured in clashes over land disputes in Sylhet and Lalmonirhat districts on Friday night.

In Sylhet, two groups of people clashed over the ownership of a disputed land at Satpur Khasjan village in Bishwanath upazila on Friday night, leaving a man dead and 10 others injured, reports our correspondent.

The deceased was identified as Rafiq Miah, 55, son of late Abdul Matlib of the village.

Officer-in-Charge Rafiqul Hossain of Bishwanath Police Station said there had been a long-standing dispute between Rafiq Miah and Rais Uddin over the ownership of a piece of land at the village.

The supporters of the two locked in a clash over the issue at around 7:00pm, leaving 11 people, including Rafiq, injured.

Critically injured Rafiq was rushed to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital where the doctors declared him dead.

Police arrested three people-- Rais Miah, 65, Yunus Ali,60, and his wife Nebarunnesa, 40, for their alleged involvement in the clash.

Our Lalmonirhat correspondent reported that 10 people, including eight women, were beaten up by their rivals over a land dispute at Pathantari village of Sarpukur union under Aditmari upzaila on Friday night.

The attackers also set two houses afire. A fire fighting unit from Lalmonirhatr rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze.

The injured are Aleya Begum, 68, wife of Ansar Ali, Salam Miah, 33, Jobeda Begum, 62, wife of Abdur Rahman, Rabeya Begum, 51, wife of Abdur Rahman, Amena Bewa, 65, wife of Abul Hossain, Majedul Islam, 21, son of Abdul Malek, Basiron Bewa, 70, wife of Nezamuddin, Mohsena Begum, 55, wife of Mukhtar Ali, Bulbuli Begum, 45, wife of Shamser Ali and Rahima Begum, 40, wife of Abdul Mannan. They all are from Pathantari upazila.

Quoting local people, police said there had been a long-standing dispute between Mukhtar Hossain and Abdur Rahman of the village over the ownership of 70 decimals of land.

The land was under Mukhtar Ali's possession. As Mukhtar and other male members of the family went to a local market at around 8:00pm, Rahman and his men took possession of the land.

Mukhtar's wife Mohsena Begum and their relatives were injured by Rahman and his men as they tried to resist them.

The injured are now undergoing treatment at Aditmari Upazila Health Complex and Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital.