Staff Reporter :
At least three people were shot dead and 30 other injured in a factional clash between the two villages over establishing supremacy at Jarulia water body (Jal Mahal) at village Hatia in Dirai upazila of Sunamganj district on Tuesday morning.
The deceased were identified as Tajul Islam, 33, of village Hatia and Shaharul Islam, 28, and Uzzal Miah, 30, of Akilpur village.
The injured villagers have been admitted to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital and Sunamganj General Hospital. Of the injured condition of Al Amin, 25, and Sona Miah is stated to be critical.
According to local and police, two groups of villagers — one led by Dhanonjoy Das, General Secretary, Matshajibi Samobay Samity of South Nagergaon village and Mashuk Chowdhury, and the other by Ekram Hossain — had long been at loggerheads over establishing dominance in Jal Mahal. Mashuk Chowdhury and Dhanonjoy Das are loyal to Sunamganj municipality mayor Mosharraf Hossain.
All the three deceased were loyal to Ekram Hossain.
Sunamganj district administration leased out the Jarulia water body (Jal Mahal) to the Nagergaon Matshyajibi Samobay Samity.
“As the villagers led by Ekram Hossain went to the area some 30 kilometres off the Dirai upazila administration tried to take control the Jal Mahal, the supporters of Dhanonjoy Das, Mashuk Chowdhury and Sunamganj municipality mayor Mosharraf Hossain barred them,” a villager told journalists.
The witness said at one stage, the supporters of the two groups locked into a clash and swooped on each other.
Within a moment the whole area turned into a battle field as two groups locked into a gun clash leaving at least 30 people injured. Critically injured Tajul Islam succumbed to his injuries at Sunamganj Health Complex while Shaharul Islam and Uzzal Miah died at MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, villagers and police said.
Dhanonjoy Das, General Secretary, Matshajibi Samobay Samity accused Ekram Hossain of killing three people.
“On Tuesday morning supporters of Ekram Hossain launched attack on us. We did not fire any gunshot. Ekram himself killed his men in order to make us guilty,” he told local journalists.
However, Ekram Hossain claimed that he has taken lease of Jal Mahal from Matshajibi Samobay Samity for six years.
“As per the deal on Tuesday when our people went to catch fish there, followers of Dhanonjoy Das Mosharraf Hossain launched gun attack on us leaving our three people dead and over 50 other injured. We want justice of the such heinous murder” a villager told journalists.
Talking to journalists injured Lebu Miah said as per mayor Mosharraf directive, the supporters of Dhanonjoy opened fire on them.
But the mayor Mosharraf denied the allegations brought against him, saying he knows nothing about it.
“I reside in municipality area. I don’t have any Jal Mahal business. I know nothing about it,” he said.
When contacted Mohammad Harun-ur-Rashid, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Sunamganj, said additional police forces have been deployed in and around the area to avert any untoward incident.
“None has been arrested in this connection yet,” he said.
When contacted Abdul Jalil, Officer-in-Charge of Dirai Police Station said the three villagers were killed in gunfire.
At least three people were shot dead and 30 other injured in a factional clash between the two villages over establishing supremacy at Jarulia water body (Jal Mahal) at village Hatia in Dirai upazila of Sunamganj district on Tuesday morning.
The deceased were identified as Tajul Islam, 33, of village Hatia and Shaharul Islam, 28, and Uzzal Miah, 30, of Akilpur village.
The injured villagers have been admitted to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital and Sunamganj General Hospital. Of the injured condition of Al Amin, 25, and Sona Miah is stated to be critical.
According to local and police, two groups of villagers — one led by Dhanonjoy Das, General Secretary, Matshajibi Samobay Samity of South Nagergaon village and Mashuk Chowdhury, and the other by Ekram Hossain — had long been at loggerheads over establishing dominance in Jal Mahal. Mashuk Chowdhury and Dhanonjoy Das are loyal to Sunamganj municipality mayor Mosharraf Hossain.
All the three deceased were loyal to Ekram Hossain.
Sunamganj district administration leased out the Jarulia water body (Jal Mahal) to the Nagergaon Matshyajibi Samobay Samity.
“As the villagers led by Ekram Hossain went to the area some 30 kilometres off the Dirai upazila administration tried to take control the Jal Mahal, the supporters of Dhanonjoy Das, Mashuk Chowdhury and Sunamganj municipality mayor Mosharraf Hossain barred them,” a villager told journalists.
The witness said at one stage, the supporters of the two groups locked into a clash and swooped on each other.
Within a moment the whole area turned into a battle field as two groups locked into a gun clash leaving at least 30 people injured. Critically injured Tajul Islam succumbed to his injuries at Sunamganj Health Complex while Shaharul Islam and Uzzal Miah died at MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, villagers and police said.
Dhanonjoy Das, General Secretary, Matshajibi Samobay Samity accused Ekram Hossain of killing three people.
“On Tuesday morning supporters of Ekram Hossain launched attack on us. We did not fire any gunshot. Ekram himself killed his men in order to make us guilty,” he told local journalists.
However, Ekram Hossain claimed that he has taken lease of Jal Mahal from Matshajibi Samobay Samity for six years.
“As per the deal on Tuesday when our people went to catch fish there, followers of Dhanonjoy Das Mosharraf Hossain launched gun attack on us leaving our three people dead and over 50 other injured. We want justice of the such heinous murder” a villager told journalists.
Talking to journalists injured Lebu Miah said as per mayor Mosharraf directive, the supporters of Dhanonjoy opened fire on them.
But the mayor Mosharraf denied the allegations brought against him, saying he knows nothing about it.
“I reside in municipality area. I don’t have any Jal Mahal business. I know nothing about it,” he said.
When contacted Mohammad Harun-ur-Rashid, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Sunamganj, said additional police forces have been deployed in and around the area to avert any untoward incident.
“None has been arrested in this connection yet,” he said.
When contacted Abdul Jalil, Officer-in-Charge of Dirai Police Station said the three villagers were killed in gunfire.
