Staff Reporter :
At least 16 people, including 4 women were injured as over 100 hand-made bombs were detonated in a violent clash between two rival groups in Bilaspur Union, Jajira Upazila, Shariatpur district, on Saturday.
The altercation, which stemmed from a long-standing power struggle over local supremacy, saw the explosion of hundreds of homemade hand grenades.
The clash erupted early on Saturday morning in the Kaziarchar area of Bilaspur Union. The confrontation quickly escalated into a bloody scene, with over a hundred homemade cocktail bombs being detonated. Several villagers were injured in the explosion, with one person suffering the loss of a hand and another critically wounded.
The injured have been identified as Maruf (25), Jotsna (25), Fatema Begum (55), Bina (45), Hasan Munshi (50), Sojib (22), Nayeem (19), Sakib (19), Kamal (19), Bijoy (19), Rezaul Bepari (19), Shohor Ali (50), Rifat (19), Abu Alem (42), and Shuvo Bepari (19).
Maruf and Hasan Munshi were immediately rushed to Dhaka Medical College for further treatment, while the others received primary care at a local hospital and were later discharged.
In response to the violence, police, elite force RAB, and military personnel arrived at the scene to restore order.
Md Sumon, a local resident of Bilaspur Union, told The New Nation that the release of Chairman Abdul Kuddus Bepari from jail had caused panic and tension among the local population. Sumon explained that supporters of Kuddus Bepari initially sparked the violence in an effort to assert their dominance.
Although the supporters of Jalil Madbor tried to avoid the conflict, they were eventually forced to defend themselves, leading to the violent clash.
Chairman Abdul Kuddus Bepari, in response to the incident, stated that he had informed the police beforehand about the possibility of violence between the two factions and denied any involvement in the clash.
Jajira Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Dulal Akand confirmed the details to the media, stating that the clash was a result of the ongoing power struggle between the two groups. Law enforcement agencies swiftly intervened to bring the situation under control.
The situation is now reported to be stable, and an investigation is underway to identify the perpetrators and take appropriate legal action.
Locals have mentioned that tensions between Abdul Kuddus Bepari, Chairman of Bilaspur Union Parishad, and Jalil Madbor, a leader of the local Awami Jubo League, have existed for years.
Their rivalry has led to numerous clashes in the past. After a violent episode on August 5 last year, both leaders were arrested and jailed, which provided temporary relief to the community. However, Saturday’s violence, involving supporters of both Bepari and Madbor, has reignited the tensions in the area.
Shohor Ali, one of the injured, who is currently hospitalized, shared that he had come to the area from Dhaka and was attacked without provocation while observing the ongoing clash.
