A man was beaten to death and eight others injured Tuesday morning after a dispute over possession of a market under construction in Shreenagar, officials said.
The deceased, Alamgir Hossain, 50, was attacked around 6am in the Balashur area while trying to stop rivals from taking over the site of Tamiz Market, which he was building with his brother, Tamizuddin.
Those injured in the attack include Tamizuddin, 65; Jahangir Alam, 55; Tarek Hossain, 35; Tansel Islam, 22; Tushar, 24; Abdur Rahman, 23; and two others. They were first treated at a local hospital before being admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Shreenagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jewel Mia said: “The killing resulted from a land dispute. Efforts are underway to arrest those involved.”
Relatives said Hannan Gang, Manik Hossain, also known as Manik Dakat, Tapas, and several others, all residents of Balashur, had filed a case claiming ownership of the land. The court ruled in favor of Alamgir and his brother. Recently, the group attempted to seize the land at night with a gang of men but were forced to retreat after resistance from locals and the owners.
On Tuesday morning, the group returned with armed men. Alamgir was beaten and stabbed with sharp weapons. His relatives, including Tamizuddin, were also attacked while trying to intervene. Local residents took Alamgir to Shreenagar Upazila Health Complex, but he died on the way to Dhaka around 9am.
Dr Shankar Tan of Shreenagar Upazila Health Complex said: “Several injured people were brought to the hospital around 6:30am. Alamgir’s condition was critical, so he was sent to Mitford Hospital in Dhaka, where he died.”
“After the incident, relatives and local residents blocked the Dhaka-Dohar road, which law enforcement brought under control,” said OC Jewel.
“The investigation is ongoing, and those responsible will be brought to justice,” added the OC.