After a man was killed in a clash in Shalla, Sunamganj, 40 homes in Nijgaon allegedly looted for three days

In Nijgaon village of Atgaon union in Shalla upazila of Sunamganj, at least 40 homes of one side have allegedly been looted for three straight days after a man was killed in a clash over a land dispute. The affected families claim that cattle, paddy, power tillers, motorcycles, gold ornaments and cash worth more than half a crore taka were looted from the houses.

It began at noon last Saturday (October 31). An argument between Nijgaon residents Rup Mia and Azab Mia over possession of land beside a house escalated into a clash, with men from both sides using country-made weapons. Abdul Mannan (65) was killed in the clash. At least 20 people from both sides were injured.

Talking to villagers, it was learned that a long-running dispute existed over fallow land on the east side of the village between Azab Ali, a former president of the union Awami League, and Rup Mia, convener of the union Krishak Dal. During the monsoon the land stayed under water, so nobody moved to occupy it. Recently, as the haor water receded and the land emerged, tension grew between the two sides over its possession, which later turned into the clash.

The deceased Abdul Mannan was Rup Mia's cousin. After news of his death spread, the adult male members of about 40 families of Azab Mia's group left the village for different areas, fearing arrest and attacks by the opposing side. Women and children stayed behind. After the burial of the body, in the afternoon they too locked their houses and took shelter at relatives' homes in a neighbouring village, thinking of their safety.

The affected families allege that after the women and children left, men from the opposing side attacked, vandalised and looted their houses for three straight days from the evening of October 31. Paddy and rice, cattle, gold ornaments, furniture, farm machinery, boats and cash kept in the houses were taken away. They also allege that haystacks were set on fire, burning cattle feed.

According to the accounts given by the affected families, 67 cattle, five power tillers, two motorcycles, five submersible water pumps, 20 diesel irrigation machines, two paddy threshers, several hundred sacks of seed paddy, 400 maunds of paddy stored in granaries, two fridges, 12 gas stoves and cylinders, five lakh taka in cash and three bhori of gold ornaments were looted from about 40 houses. There are also allegations that poultry, boats, household furniture and cooking pots were taken.

An elderly woman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said she had stayed at home at risk to her life to protect the household goods. At night, men from the opposing side kicked at her door demanding she open it and hurled abuse; out of fear she did not open it. She alleges that two machines belonging to her two sons, kept outside the house, four cattle and a boat were taken away.

Asmina Begum, wife of Masum Mia, said that on returning home she found nothing left in the house - cooking pots, clothes, the gas stove and cylinder had all been taken. She claims her family's 400 maunds of paddy, 20 maunds of rice, three bhori of gold ornaments, 17 cattle, five lakh taka in cash, a fridge, a water motor, a motorcycle, a trolley and a rice-husking machine, along with all household goods, were looted.

Affected resident Lima Akter said there is now no male member in any house of Azab Mia's group. Everything - cattle and calves, paddy and rice - has been taken from the empty houses; now not even a glass for drinking water remains. The men have left the village fearing arrest and attacks by the opposing side.

Mahmuda Akter, younger sister of Elim Uddin, who has left the village, said it was as if doomsday had descended on them on the day of the clash. She alleges the looting began right after the burial of the body was completed. Everything was taken after abusing and threatening the women and children at home. Because of the remote transport links and the absence of male members at home, they could not even go to the police station to lodge a complaint.

However, Rup Mia, cousin of the deceased Abdul Mannan, has completely denied the looting allegations. He said the disputed land is their ancestral property; according to the land documents, his father is the owner of the land. They had filled earth there to build a house. On the other hand, he alleges, Azab Ali had long been claiming ownership of the land and trying to occupy it without any valid documents.

Rup Mia alleges that on October 31 his elder brother Abdul Mannan was killed in an attack by men of Azab Ali's group. Thirty people of their group, including women, men and children, were injured. He said he himself was injured in the leg and head in the clash and has been unable to get up from bed since the incident.

Atgaon Union Parishad chairman Abdullah Al Noman said that after the October 31 clash, once the burial was over, houses of Azab Mia's group were attacked and looted. But he does not know who was involved in the looting and arson. Members of the affected families told him that paddy and rice, power tillers, irrigation machines and various household items had been looted.

The chairman also said the spot is in a remote area, adjoining the border of Khaliajuri upazila of Netrokona. Because of poor transport links, it takes three to four hours to reach there by tractor-trolley. As a result, it is difficult for law enforcement to reach the spot quickly.

Shalla police station OC Mohammad Suhel said that after one person was killed in the clash, some untoward incidents took place before police reached Nijgaon village. Police are now deployed at the village market. They have heard that such incidents are happening at night, but it is difficult for police to go to every house in the village. Police are working to keep the situation under control. Saying that nobody has yet lodged a complaint at the police station about the looting, the OC said legal action will be taken if a complaint is received.