Keraniganj Construction Dispute Sparks Counter-Allegations

A dispute over the sale and supply of bricks and sand has led to allegations of assault and counter-allegations between two parties in Keraniganj, on the outskirts of Dhaka.

The incident reportedly took place at around 11am on Sunday, 16 August, in the Kazirgaon mouza area of Kalindi Atashur under Keraniganj Model Police Station. Following the incident, Shariful Islam Kalam, one of the parties involved, submitted a written complaint to the police, alleging that he had been assaulted.

According to Shariful’s complaint, he had purchased a plot of private land in the Kazirgaon mouza and was constructing a boundary wall there. Kamrul Islam and his manager, Shaheen, had been supplying bricks and sand for the construction work. Shariful alleged that he subsequently became dissatisfied with the quality and quantity of the materials being supplied.

After raising concerns over the materials, Shariful said he stopped purchasing bricks and sand from Kamrul and arranged supplies from another seller. He alleged that the decision angered Kamrul and several others, who later attacked him.

Shariful claimed that he sustained injuries during the alleged assault and received initial medical treatment afterwards. In his written complaint, he named five individuals and accused another 10 to 12 unidentified people of involvement in the incident.

Kamrul Islam, however, has rejected the allegations. He said he had supplied bricks, sand and other construction materials to various establishments and claimed that approximately Tk 8 million to Tk 10 million remained outstanding to him for materials already delivered.

According to Kamrul, the dispute arose primarily over unpaid bills and differences concerning accounts. He alleged that an argument over the outstanding payments eventually turned into a physical altercation involving his manager. Kamrul claimed that Shariful Islam Kalam assaulted his manager and subsequently lodged a complaint against them.

Kamrul also denied that the construction materials supplied by him were of poor quality. He said that had any genuine complaint about the standard or quantity of the materials been brought to his attention, he would have attempted to resolve the matter.

The conflicting accounts have placed the focus on the underlying dispute over construction-material supplies, payments and the alleged altercation. As both sides have presented different versions of events, the circumstances surrounding the incident will have to be established through police investigation.

Keraniganj Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ruhul Quddus said one party had submitted a complaint regarding a clash stemming from the sale and purchase of bricks and sand. He said the matter was currently under investigation and that necessary legal action would be taken after the investigation was completed.

The case highlights how disagreements over construction supplies, quality and outstanding payments can quickly escalate into broader disputes when the parties fail to reach a settlement. Police are expected to assess the allegations made by both sides before determining the appropriate legal course of action.