‘Outsourcing’ Freelancers from Narsingdi to Attack Rival Group in Brahmanbaria, 20 Injured Including Gunshot Victims

❐ Local correspondent

A clash and gunfire broke out between two parties in Nabinagar Upazila of Brahmanbaria over a dispute. At least 15-20 people were injured, including two people who were shot.

The clash took place in Charlapang village of Paschim Union of the upazila on Saturday night.

The two injured are Phul Mia (60) and Umme Hani (22). The injured Phul Mia is a resident of Charlapang village. Umme Hani is the wife of Suman Mia of the same village. They were rescued and taken to the Nabinagar Upazila Health Complex. Later, when their condition deteriorated, the two were sent to Comilla Medical College Hospital for better treatment.

According to police and local sources, Ahid Mia of the same village obstructed the construction of a road in Charlapang village. He had been in dispute with the villagers over this. Recently, when the construction of the road was completed, Muslem Mia of the village bought a tractor to rent to farmers to cultivate their land. This further intensified the dispute. Ahid Mia and his brother Ubaidul Mia became angry with Muslem Mia, fearing that their sole dominance in the tractor rental business would be lost. Tensions had been brewing between the two sides over this for several days.

As a result, on Saturday night, Ahid Mia brought people on rent from Mirzarchar village in Raipura upazila of Narsingdi. Led by Ahid Mia, those people attacked Muslim Mia’s people. Both sides got involved in a clash. During the clash, two people named Phul Mia and Umme Hani from Muslim Mia’s side were shot. 15-20 more people were injured in the incident.

Talking to locals, it is learnt that due to a dispute between the people of the area and Ahid Mia, he hired ‘freelancers’ from Raipura through outsourcing, who went to fight in different places in exchange for money. They used hand grenades and firearms. Since no one knew them locally, they escaped safely after the fight, and as a result, their whereabouts are not known.

Roksana Khatun, deputy assistant community medical officer of Nabinagar Upazila Health Complex, said that two people who were shot in the right hand on Saturday night received treatment at the health complex. They were later sent to Comilla Medical College Hospital.

Nabinagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Morshedul Alam Chowdhury said that the two sides had been fighting over dominance from the east. Recently, the dispute over a road in the village intensified. One side hired people from Mirzarchar in Raipura, Narsingdi, to attack. Two people were injured in the gunfire during the clash. Police have been deployed in the area.