Clash over control of newly emerged shoals in Rajshahi: 50 hurt
Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi
At least 50 people were injured in clashes between land grabbers' musclemen and landless people and aborigines over occupation of newly emerged lands in Beel Kumari at Dhantoir village in Tanore upazila in the district yesterday.Ten of injured, most of them landless and aborigines, were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) while others were treated at the upazila health complex. The hours-long clash erupted at about 9:30am as armed musclemen of land grabbers allegedly belonging to BNP tried to forcibly evict the landless and aborigines from the land. Police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. The injured landless people alleged that some local BNP activists including led the attackers equipped with sharp weapons including billhooks, spears, rods and knives. They said they transplanted IRRI-Boro paddy on the 445-bigha newly emerged landmass a month ago. Senior police officials visited the spot. None was arrested. A case has been filed, police said. According to sources, landless and aborigines occupied some 3000 acres of lands in shoals of Padma in last 35 years. But in last several years, some local influential people started capturing the lands from landless and aborigines in Gortapara, Haldarpara, Kubipara Gokul and Tarandor areas. Two persons were killed and several hundred injured in last two years in clashes over lands in the areas.
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