Staff Reporter, Momtaz Uddin
Chattogram, Patiya — A land dispute in the Patiya upazila of Chattogram turned violent as members of the ruling Awami League allegedly led an armed attack, leaving 15 people injured, including a child and a police officer. Among them, 11 people were seriously wounded, including women, and are currently receiving critical care at Chittagong Hospital.
The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon (April 15) in the 5th Ward of the Jiri Union, at Achhimia Saudagar Bari. The victims include Md. Sumon (38), Maruf (11), Babul (45), Kamal (40), Md. Farid (38), Rasheda Begum (50), Sumaiya Akter (19), Kohinur Akter (36), Shahin Akter (35), and Ginni Akter (38). Five of the victims — Sumon, Maruf, Babul, Rasheda, and Farid — were first taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital in critical condition and later moved to Chittagong Hospital due to lack of improvement.
According to local sources, a long-standing dispute over land has existed between Babul and his neighbors, including Mamun — a local Jubo League leader and son of Md. Yakub, the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Union Awami League. On Tuesday afternoon, Yakub and Mamun allegedly led an attack on Babul’s family, bringing in over 200 outsiders.
The attackers also reportedly assaulted the families of neighbors Kamal and Farid when they tried to intervene. During the attack, Sumon’s leg was hacked with an axe. In total, four homes were vandalized, and cash amounting to 300,000 BDT and one tola (approx. 11.66 grams) of gold jewelry were looted. The attackers also destroyed crops and trees on approximately one acre of land and allegedly threatened to kill Babul.
The victims called the police during the attack, and law enforcement arrived to bring the situation under control. Later, Ginni Akter, Babul’s wife, filed a case with Patiya Police Station (Case No. 20, Date: 17/04/2025). Babul’s brother Kamal Uddin also filed a separate CR case at the Chattogram Court (Case No. 332/25). In response, Mamun’s wife, Khuki Akter, filed a counter-case with Patiya Police Station (Case No. 21).
Speaking on the matter, victim Abul Kalam Babul stated, “I bought 19 decimals of land from Mir Group in 2022. Since then, Yakub and his son have been claiming that one decimal of that land belongs to them and should have been acquired from Mir Group. I told them to resolve the matter directly with Mir Group. When I proposed a legal settlement through documentation, they refused and escalated the situation. Although we agreed to meet at Patiya Police Station on April 13 for mediation, they didn’t show up. Then on April 15, they launched a surprise attack on my home with over 200 people.”
Babul further added that his family had anticipated the attack and had been at Patiya Police Station since 8 AM that day, seeking assistance — but received none. Efforts to reach the assigned investigating officer, Anik Bhakta, were unsuccessful despite multiple attempts.
When contacted, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Patiya Police Station, Abu Zayed Mohammad Nazmun Noor, declined to provide a clear response regarding the land-dispute-related violence and abruptly ended the phone call.
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