Eighteen Injured as Agrarian Land Dispute Triggers Violent Clash in Chapainawabganj

At least eighteen people were injured on Sunday afternoon when a long-standing land dispute boiled over into a violent clash between two rival groups of farmers in the Gomastapur sub-district of Chapainawabganj.

The confrontation erupted around midday in the Choroil Beel area, situated under Bangabari Union, following a dispute over paddy cultivation on a contested plot of agricultural land.

Escalation Over Contested Agricultural Plot

Tensions had been brewing across the local farming community for a considerable period over the possession and cultivation rights of approximately 70 bighas of land. According to police and local residents, several farmers hailing from both Bangabari and Alinagar unions have historically tilled the disputed expanse.

The situation deteriorated rapidly on Sunday morning when one faction arrived at the fields to begin planting paddy saplings for the current season. Opposing claimants intervened to halt the planting, triggering a heated verbal exchange. The altercation escalated as members of the opposing group attacked with locally made hand-held weapons, leading to widespread violence that left eighteen people from both sides with varying degrees of physical trauma.

Medical Emergency and Police Response

Upon receiving reports of the violence, officers from Gomastapur Police Station dispatched units to the site to disperse the clashing groups and restore order. To prevent further retaliation, additional police personnel were deployed to maintain security across the village.

Emergency medical teams and local residents rushed the injured to nearby healthcare facilities. Twelve of the victims received treatment at the Gomastapur Upazila Health Centre, whilst six individuals suffering from critical injuries were transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) for specialised care.

A total of eighteen individuals sustained injuries during the violence:

• Fazlur Rahman (55)

• Kamruzzaman (70)

• Tajamul Haque Jem (55)

• Bazlur Rahman (60)

• Abdul Latif (65)

• Del Sad (50)

• Abdur Rahim (47)

• Jamila Begum (50)

• Jahina Begum (55)

• Khatija (55)

• Monirul Islam (55)

• Bazlur Rahman (62)

• Mahadi Hossain (23)

• Wasim Babu (20)

• Rofiqul Islam (38)

• Taijuddin (66)

• Saiful (56)

• Shohidul (42)

Official Findings and Current Status

Sub-Inspector Abdul Awal of Gomastapur Police Station confirmed that the immediate prompt for the conflict was the land ownership disagreement. Officers arrived swiftly at the scene, managed to neutralise the situation, and secured the perimeter.

Gomastapur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nure Alam assured the public that order had been restored, though law enforcement remains on high alert in the area. He noted that neither party has submitted a formal written complaint regarding the assault.

Authorities affirmed that an official investigation will be launched and appropriate legal measures taken as soon as a written petition is registered with the police station.