A 60-year-old man was killed on Saturday morning in Kushtia’s Sadar upazila when long-standing tensions between two rival village factions erupted into violent clashes, ostensibly triggered by the theft of a mosque’s loudspeaker battery and an ongoing struggle for local dominance.

seasonal rivalry between local political factions culminated in blood on the streets of Khayerpur area, located within the Alampur union. The victim, identified as Halim Sardar, son of the late Kalam Sardar, was fatally struck by a sharp weapon while walking near his home as the violence unfolded.

According to local residents and police sources, the unrest stems from a protracted dispute between two opposing groups in the Rajapur and Khayerpur areas. One faction is led by Mannan Member alongside Bakul Sardar, while the rival faction is headed by Yusuf Member and Mehedi. Tensions between the two camps had escalated drastically over recent days following the theft of a storage battery used for the local mosque’s sound system, an incident that quickly became a flashpoint for broader territorial rivalries.

Repeated skirmishes had been reported across the neighbourhood throughout the week. The conflict reached a deadly pitch on Saturday morning near the Chapaigachi Beel area, where armed supporters from both sides confronted each other. Halim Sardar was caught in the fray shortly after stepping out of his residence, sustaining critical injuries from a phala—a traditional spear-like sharp weapon.

Family members moved quickly to rescue Halim and rushed him to Kushtia General Hospital, where attending physicians pronounced him dead upon arrival due to severe blood loss.

Law enforcement authorities responded promptly to restore order in the area. Officers from the Kushtia Sadar Model Police Station have arrested one of the primary accused, 30-year-old Bakul Sardar, son of Abdus Sattar.

Jakir Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Kushtia Sadar Model Police Station, confirmed the casualty and the subsequent arrest. He stated that police patrols have been deployed to maintain calm in the locality, while targeted drives remain underway to apprehend the remaining individuals involved in the violent altercation. A formal murder case is currently being prepared by the victim’s family.