AL-BNP supporters clash leaves 2 dead

National Desk :

Two elderly men have been killed in a series of clashes between supporters of the banned Awami League and the BNP in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj, reportedly over fishing in a government-owned pond. At least 15 others were injured in the violence and have been admitted to different hospitals.

The deceased were identified as Ismail Hossain (70), son of the late Momser Ali, and Abdus Salam (60), son of Moydan Ali, both residents of Goalpara village.

According to police, the clash took place on Monday in Goalpara village under Dhamainagar Union of Raiganj upazila. The two men later succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment Ismail Hossain at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura and Abdus Salam at Sirajganj 250-bed General Hospital.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Golam Kibria of Raiganj Police Station said that there had been a longstanding dispute for the past 15-16 years over the lease of a five-bigha government-owned pond in the village.

The conflict involved Awami League supporter Achmat Ali and Abu Bakkar Siddique, General Secretary of Ward No. 2 BNP under Dhamainagar Union.

Previously, Achmat Ali had leased the pond in the name of Goalpara Mosque and had been cultivating fish there. Following the change of government on 5 August 2024, BNP leader Abu Bakkar Siddique reportedly secured a three-year lease of the pond and had been farming fish since then.

At around 7:30 am on Monday, Abu Bakkar Siddique, along with his supporters, began netting fish from the pond.

At that point, Achmat Ali and his supporters attempted to prevent them, leading to rising tensions and eventually a violent clash.