Matiranga Clash: 4 dead villagers among those sued by BGB

Border Guard Bangladesh yesterday sued scores of people, including four deceased, in connection with Tuesday's clash in Khagrachhari that left five people dead.

Shahab Mia, 54, his sons, Ali Akbar, 27, and Ahmad Ali, 26, and their relative Mofiz Mia, 55, died in the clash and the BGB yesterday accused them and others of multiple crimes, including murder and attempted murder.

All the deceased were residents of Gazinagar village in Khagrachhari's Matiranga upazila, said police.

Ishak Ali, Habildar of BGB's Palashpur zone unit, filed the case with Matiranga Police Station, accusing 19 named and some 60 to 70 unnamed people of involvement in the violence, said the case's investigation officer Md Shanoor Alam, inspector (investigation) of the police station. 

He added that Mofiz Mia's son, Hanif Miah, is also an accused in the case. 

The charges against them include murder, attempted murder, injuring BGB members and obstructing government officials from discharging their duties, said Md Shamsuddin Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge of the police station.

Quoting the case statement, the police official said an armed mob attacked BGB members and committed the aforementioned crimes.

However, no case or complaint was filed on behalf of the villagers in this connection, the OC said.

At least five people, including 28-year-old BGB member Md Shaon, were killed and several others injured in a clash between members of the paramilitary force and villagers over illegal logging at Gazinagar village in the upazila on Tuesday. 

On Wednesday, the National Human Rights Commission said in a statement that no matter who had fired the shots, BGB was the custodian of all the firearms used in the killings, and therefore, could not avoid responsibility.