Land Dispute: 15 injured in clash in Rangpur

At least 15 people were injured in a clash between Adivasis and Bangalee settlers following a land dispute in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur yesterday.

Locals said there was a land dispute between Nanda Kuzu and his nephew Bimal Kuzu at Ranipukur village. A couple of months ago, Nanda allegedly sold an acre of land to Hafizar Rahman, a locally influential person, without the consent of Bimal, who cultivated paddy on that land.

Bimal along with his hired labourers yesterday went to the land to harvest the paddy. Hearing the news, Hafizar and his men went to the field to stop them around 9:00am.

Both sides locked in an altercation, resulting in the clash that lasted for an hour.

On information, a team of Mithapukur police rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control.

A large number of law enforcers were deployed at the village to ward off any untoward situation.

The badly injured people were identified as Borhan Uddin, Raihan Mia, Dulali Begum, Nur Nahar, Sirajul Islam, Harun Mia from the Bangalee community and Adivasis Pusu, Bimal, Nagi and Katrina. They were admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

Police said six of the 15 injured people were shot by arrows.

Bimal alleged that the one-acre land belongs to him, but they (Hafizar Rahman) grabbed it. Land of the Adivasis cannot be sold, he said.

Ashiqur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Mithapukur police, said the situation was under control.