A freedom fighter was beaten to death during a community arbitration on Friday that was held over the ownership of farmed fishes in Tangail's Basail upazila.
Freedom fighter Abdul Latif Khan, 65, was severely injured when a few people, including Abu Khan, Pavel, and Parvez assaulted him during the arbitration held at the courtyard of Union Parishad member Shahjahan Khan’s home in Motra village, according to locals.
The on-duty doctor at Tangail General Hospital declared Bir Abdul Latif dead when he was taken there.
The deceased’s son, Habib, filed a case on Saturday against 11 named and eight to ten unnamed people in this connection. Later, police arrested two of the accused.
The arrested are Ujjal, 40, and Liton, 38. A Tangail court sent the arrested to jail and fixed a remand hearing on Sunday, said court Inspector Tanvir Ahmed.
Basail police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Harunur Rashid told Dhaka Tribune that the body of the deceased had been handed over to his family after an autopsy.
Police were trying to arrest the rest of the accused, he added.
The slain freedom fighter was laid to eternal rest with state honours in his own village on Saturday evening.
According to police and the deceased’s family, there had been a dispute between freedom fighter Abdul Latif Khan and his neighbour Abu Khan over fish in two ponds for several days.
Recently, there was an altercation between the two families. The arbitration was called at the house of local UP member Shahjahan Khan on Friday afternoon to resolve the issue.
At one stage, Abu Khan and his son Pavel and a few others, including Parvez, assaulted and injured Abdul Latif Khan.
UP member Shahjahan Khan said men from both sides were injured in the skirmish during an arbitration over a trivial matter. "The freedom fighter passed away as he was injured in the incident. It is a matter of great sorrow for us."