Arson follows bitter feud between rival AL men
Houses torched after tying hands and legs of women inside
Witness to the brutal attack on his family on Friday evening, 11-year-old Tariqul sits on the remains of the torched house in despair yesterday.Photo: STAR
Rival Awami League men set three houses on fire following a feud at Bolpur village under Hoglapasha union of Morelganj upazila on Friday evening. Before torching the houses, they allegedly confined two women to a house after tying their hands and legs. Both, however, managed to escape from the burning house, locals said. Earlier on Friday noon, schoolteacher Golam Rasul, 38, of the village was hacked by rivals. Seriously injured, he was sent to Dhaka for treatment in critical condition. The arson attack in the evening was made by the supporters of Golam Rasul, villagers said. The houses burnt to ashes belonged to Selim Sheikh Babul, 42, his mother Salma Begum, 60, and Selim's younger brother Abul Kalam Sheikh, 30. Tuli Begum, 35, wife of Selim Sheikh said, 40-50 armed people raided their house on Friday noon and damaged and looted property. The gang fled the area sensing presence of police at around 3:00pm. Later the gang again attacked the houses at around 7:30pm. At this she along with her son Tariqul, 11, and mother-in-law Salma, 60, took shelter on the ceiling for fear of life. But the gang tied the hands and legs of Tuli and Salma and set the house on fire. However, they escaped death as Tariqul untied both of them, said Tuli Begum. Locals and police said, Hoglapasha UP chairman Iliyas Hossain and local Jubo League unit president Faridul Islam were at loggerheads for long. Golam Rasul was supporter of Iliyas while the victims of arson were people of Faridul, they said.
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