A viral video showing a female business owner being repeatedly kicked in full view of police officers in Rajbari has ignited intense public controversy, exposing a bitter commercial dispute in the district town. The violence unfolded on Saturday morning in front of the Kaderia Market within the town’s central clothes market, prompting law enforcement to step in as tensions boiled over between local shop owners and the entrepreneur.
The footage, which rapidly circulated across social media platforms, shows a female police officer holding the woman by her arm, escorted by two male colleagues. Suddenly, a young man rushes forward and kicks the woman. Although a male officer pushes the assailant away, a second youth immediately steps in to kick her again, closely followed by a third individual delivering another blow in front of the police escort.
The victim of the assault has been identified as Zakia Sultana, owner of a local garment establishment named “Astha Poshak Shilpo”. According to local accounts, the unrest began around 11:30 am on Saturday following a protest march organised by Zakia. Approximately 40 to 50 women participated in the rally, which started at the town’s Panna Chattar, circled the No. 1 Railway Gate, and culminated in a demonstration at Kaderia Market. The demonstrators alleged that several local traders had issued threats against Zakia and demanded protection.
Tensions escalated dramatically when Zakia announced a sit-in strike inside Kaderia Super Market. Outraged by the announcement, local shop owners and market employees mounted a counter-demonstration and chased Zakia through the market. Police officers swiftly arrived at the scene to take her into protective custody, but as they were leading her away, several individuals breached the police escort to assault her physically.
The confrontation stems from a prolonged dispute between Zakia and a former employee, Shahana Parveen Vristi. According to fellow traders, Vristi resigned from Zakia’s firm following internal disagreements and subsequently opened her own clothing shop in the same market. Traders alleged that Zakia refused to accept her former employee’s independent business venture and pressured Aziz Mondol, president of the clothes market committee, to shut Vristi’s shop down. When Mondol declined, an argument ensued, leading nearby shopkeepers to push Zakia away from the premises—an incident Zakia characterized as a physical attack and death threat.
Extending the context, former market committee general secretary and Rajbari Chamber of Commerce Vice-President Zakir Hossain stated that local business owners initially welcomed Zakia as a pioneering female entrepreneur. However, he claimed that operational troubles soon emerged regarding her business practices. He alleged that Zakia routinely mistreated staff, delayed salary payments, and subjected workers to physical and mental distress, noting that the market committee had previously fined her 10,000 taka following an employee complaint. Hossain added that Vristi’s resignation followed an unresolved accounting dispute, after which local shopkeepers submitted a formal complaint against Zakia at Rajbari Sadar Police Station.
Rejecting the allegations, Zakia Sultana maintained that Vristi left the enterprise without settling financial accounts. She stated that after she lodged a complaint with the convener of the Rajbari Bazar Kalyan Samity, local traders began threatening to close her business. Zakia claimed that on 23 August, Vristi brought 15 to 20 individuals to her shop to intimidate her. She explained that Saturday’s protest was a peaceful response to ongoing harassment, asserting that she was set upon by a mob and subsequently abused while being escorted by police. She added that her store remains closed following the clash, leaving her female workforce at risk of losing their livelihoods.
Rajbari Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Uttam Kumar Ghosh confirmed the sequence of events, noting that the incident took place on Saturday morning. Following the altercation, market traders closed their shops and marched to the police station to demand Zakia’s arrest. OC Ghosh stated that the situation has since normalized, confirming that officers have spoken with both parties and launched a formal investigation to identify those responsible for the violence.
