Fire Burns Three Houses in Anwara's Khaskhama Village as Land Dispute Claims Fly Both Ways

Three houses have caught fire in Haildhar Union of Anwara upazila in Chattogram. Local residents allege the fire was set in an abandoned cowshed to frame opponents in a land dispute. The affected family says neighbours set fire to their houses. The Fire Service's initial assessment is that the fire started from an electrical short circuit.

The incident happened at about 1:30 a.m. on Saturday night at Ali Mia's house in Ward No. 1 of Khaskhama village, in Haildhar Union No. 10 of the upazila.

The houses of Jamal Ahmad, Nazrul Islam Sonamia and Abu Mansur were burned in the fire. The victims say they lost 9 lakh taka in total, including 70,000 taka in cash.

The Fire Service's preliminary estimate put the loss at 2.5 lakh taka. Visiting the scene on Sunday afternoon and speaking to local residents, it emerged that they allege the fire was set over the earlier land dispute with a neighbour.

Locals said the connection of a deep tubewell installed for residents' water use was also cut on Saturday evening. Local resident Mohammad Abu Nayem said a land dispute with the neighbour had been going on for a long time and the deep tubewell connection was cut on Saturday.

The residents' allegation was denied by Md. Shoaibul Islam Rakib, 21, son of fire victim Nazrul Islam alias Sona Mia. He said he had been asleep, woke up feeling heat, saw flames, and heard shouting about the fire from outside. After leaving the house he could not go back inside, and everything including money was burned.

Rakib alleged that before the fire, neighbours threw bricks at their house. After a call was made to the national emergency number 999 that night, a police team including Anwara police Assistant Sub-Inspector Sahidul Islam went to the scene. He said police calmed both sides and advised them to come to the police station at 11 a.m. on Sunday to settle the matter.

Rakib said their houses were set on fire before that meeting, and he demanded a proper investigation and justice for the incident.

Fire Service sources said that after receiving the news, one unit reached the scene at about 1:45 a.m. on Saturday night and began extinguishing work. The fire was fully put out after about 45 minutes of effort.

Anwara Fire Station leader Md. Mujibur Rahman said a unit went quickly to the scene after the call and began extinguishing work amid the flames. The fire was fully extinguished within 45 minutes. He said the estimated loss was 2.5 lakh taka and goods worth about 10 lakh taka were recovered.

Police later visited the scene, collected evidence and are looking into the matter, it was learned. Anwara police Officer-in-Charge Md. Junayet Chowdhury said the news of the tubewell and electricity connections being cut came through 999 and police visited the scene at night. He said he was not aware of the house fire and that no complaint had been received.