At least 10 people, including seven women, were injured in a fierce clash between two rival groups at Bochagari char (shoal) under Sundarganj upazila in Gaibandha on Wednesday over char grabbing.
Locals said over 200 people supported by the union parishad chairman equipped with country made weapons attacked char dwellers and set fire to five houses.
As the char people tried to resist the attackers, a clash ensued between them, leaving 10 people of both groups injured. The injured were admitted to different hospitals and clinics.
Abul Kashem, a resident of the char, filed a case with Sundarganj police station on Thursday accusing 36 identified and 150 unidentified men of the chairman’s group, said Golam Mostafa Ahmed, inspector of the police station.
According to land office sources, over 200 hundred landless and erosion affected people have been living on 60 acres of land at Bochagari char for long.
Local UP Chairman Manju Miah was conspiring to evict the people living on the char in a bid to settle his supporters taking money from them and establish his dominance in the locality, local people alleged.
A tense situation have been prevailing there for the last few months between char people and the chairman’s supporters.
UP Chairman Manju Miah denied his involvement with the clash.
