The clash took place between residents of Joyrampur village under Rajiura Union and Nitaichak village under Nijampur Union from around 10 am to 1 pm on Friday (6 November).
Habiganj Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Zahidul Haque confirmed the incident to the media.
According to police and local eyewitnesses, the dispute began two days earlier when a mobile phone was allegedly stolen from the house of Nanu Mia, a resident of Nitaichak village. A young man from Joyrampur village was accused of being involved in the theft. The allegation triggered tensions between residents of the two villages, leading to heated exchanges and growing hostility.
In an attempt to resolve the dispute peacefully, local elders arranged an arbitration meeting on Friday morning. The gathering was intended to settle the disagreement through discussion and prevent further escalation.
However, the initiative failed to produce a peaceful resolution. Instead, residents from both villages reportedly became involved in a violent confrontation, using locally made weapons. What had initially been a dispute over a missing mobile phone quickly developed into a large-scale clash, with repeated rounds of fighting between the two sides.
More than 100 people were injured during the confrontation. Several of them were taken to local hospitals, where some were admitted for treatment, while others received primary medical care.
Among the injured whose identities have been established are Tofazzal Mia, Jitu Mia, Abdul Ahad, Adam Ali, Sohel Mia, Sanu Mia, Nanu Mia, Liton Mia, Nuruj Mia, Maraj Mia, Habibur Rahman, Emdadul Mia, Shish Ali, Parvez Mia, Bilal Mia and Akkas Mia. Several others were also reported to have sustained injuries.
After receiving reports of the violence, a police team led by OC Zahidul Haque rushed to the scene. However, the continuing confrontation made it difficult for officers to restore order immediately.
Police eventually fired several rounds of tear gas and blank shots to disperse the crowds and prevent the violence from spreading further. After sustained efforts, law enforcement personnel managed to bring the situation under control.
The incident has raised concerns over how a relatively localised dispute can escalate into widespread violence involving residents of entire villages. It also highlights the difficulties that can arise when community-level disputes are not resolved through dialogue, even when local elders take the initiative to mediate.
OC Zahidul Haque said the situation in the area was now completely under control. He added that additional police personnel had been deployed to prevent any further clashes or untoward incidents.
Although normality has been restored for the time being, police remain on alert to ensure that tensions do not flare up again. The immediate priority is to maintain law and order and prevent further violence between the two communities.
