A longstanding dispute over land escalated into violent chaos late on Sunday night in South Keraniganj, Dhaka, as an armed group allegedly stormed a residential home, vandalising property and fleeing with cash and gold jewellery.
The incident unfolded at approximately 9:45 pm in the Abdullahpur Madhyapara area under Tegharia Union. According to a formal complaint lodged with South Keraniganj Police Station on Monday afternoon by 23-year-old Mozammel Hossain, the attack was the culmination of a protracted land conflict involving local residents Syed Ali, Rabiul, and their associates.
Mozammel reported that the assailants, brandishing local sharp weapons and wooden staves, forcibly entered his family’s home and systematically destroyed furniture, causing estimated damages of 50,000 BDT. The intruders then looted 60,000 BDT in cash alongside roughly three bhoris of gold ornaments stored inside a bedroom wardrobe.
Hearing the commotion, Mozammel’s cousin, 45-year-old Dulal, rushed to the scene and attempted to intervene. The attackers turned on him, inflicting serious injuries with a sharp knife. Other family members who stepped in to rescue Dulal were also assaulted and beaten by the gang.
Land disputes remain a pervasive catalyst for violent confrontations across Bangladesh, where complex land registration processes, contested property titles, and administrative delays frequently leave families trapped in legal deadlocks for years. In peri-urban zones like South Keraniganj—where rapidly appreciating real estate values heightened by proximity to the capital have intensified local property rivalries—such disagreements regularly spill over into extrajudicial enforcement and physical clashes.
Refuting the allegations, Syed Ali claimed that while a physical altercation had indeed occurred between the two parties regarding the land, his side was being falsely implicated in the vandalism and theft. He stated that his group had already filed a separate case against Mozammel’s family, alleging that these accusations were manufactured as a retaliatory counter-strategy.
Inspector (Investigation) Asgar Hossain of South Keraniganj Police Station confirmed the receipt of the written complaint, assuring that law enforcement officers are currently investigating the matter and will take appropriate legal action based on their findings.
