One killed, dozens injured in Sarail clash over unpaid dues

 
BRAHMANBARIA, June 30: One person was killed and at least 30 to 50 others, including police personnel, were injured in a violent clash between residents of two villages in Sarail Upazila of Brahmanbaria on Sunday night over unpaid dues and a long-running dispute involving traditional fish traps.

The deceased was identified as Hadis Mia, 55, of Dharanti Village.

According to police and local sources, businessman Mosharraf Hossain of Suryakandi Village had sold fish mats worth around Tk 500,000 to two men from Dharanti Village about nine months ago. The unpaid dues had led to tensions between the two sides. A separate dispute over fish traps further fuelled the conflict.

The violence erupted after an altercation between the parties in the Sarail town spread to their respective villages. Hundreds of villagers armed with locally made weapons later clashed in and around Kalikachh Bazar, halting traffic on the Sarail-Nasirnagar-Lakhai regional highway for several hours. Local residents alleged that at least 10 shops were vandalised and looted.

Police fired rubber bullets and tear-gas shells to disperse the rival groups and brought the situation under control after nearly four hours.
Officer-in-Charge Monjur Kader Bhuiyan said six people had been detained, the victim's body was sent for an autopsy, and legal action was underway.