Bhola family lives in fear as police fail to make arrests in violent land dispute case

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A protracted land dispute in the Char Algi village of Bhola’s Borhanuddin upazila escalated into violence last Friday, leaving a family under siege as police continue to delay arrests. Following a physical attack, the alleged destruction of property, and the looting of a residential home, the victims report that they are now facing sustained threats from the accused, who are reportedly pressuring them and key witnesses to drop the legal case.

The conflict stems from a long-standing familial rift triggered when Anwar Hossain allocated land to his eldest son, Kamal Hossain, for the construction of a permanent home. According to court filings and testimony from the victimized family, Anwar’s second son, Jamal Hossain, allegedly deceived his father to secretly register 12 decimals of land—which included Kamal’s home—in his own name. Upon discovering the alleged fraud, the elder Hossain initiated a civil lawsuit to invalidate the property deed.

The situation turned violent on Friday morning when Jamal Hossain, accompanied by his brothers Shahin and Shakil and several unidentified associates, reportedly stormed the residence. Witnesses claim the group breached the boundary wall, vandalized the property, and looted household valuables. When Rokeya Begum attempted to intervene, she was severely beaten. She remains hospitalized at the Borhanuddin Upazila Health Complex. Although police arrived at the scene following a distress call to the national emergency service, no arrests have been made to date.

Anwar Hossain filed a criminal case on the day of the attack, naming his three sons and roughly 15 unidentified individuals as defendants. Despite the formal complaint, the family remains in hiding, alleging that the suspects are actively intimidating witnesses to force a withdrawal of the charges.

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When contacted for comment, the accused brothers—Jamal, Shahin, and Shakil—did not respond to multiple telephone inquiries.

Borhanuddin Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Moniruzzaman stated that the case remains under investigation but expressed ambiguity regarding the current status of the pursuit. He emphasized that the department is focused on ensuring the investigation identifies the true perpetrators to prevent the harassment of innocent individuals. Sub-Inspector Jasim Uddin Hawlader, the officer assigned to the case, confirmed he has visited the site twice and pledged that the investigation is ongoing.