Pabna Sand Extraction Dispute Leaves One Dead in Shooting Clash
Photo Collected
A 40-year-old man was killed in a shooting during a violent clash over illegal sand extraction along the Padma River in Pabna on Friday. The incident, which occurred in the Jotekakuria Kolabagan area near the border of Char-Tarapur and Bhara unions, claimed the life of Manju Sheikh, a local resident and reported activist for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
According to accounts from local residents, tensions had been simmering for several days between two rival groups vying for control over sand mining operations in the riverbed. The conflict escalated into a direct confrontation on Friday afternoon, leading to a fatal shooting that resulted in Sheikh’s death at the scene. Police were subsequently deployed to the area to restore order.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Authorities have indicated that the dispute centered on the protection of private property. Initial police reports suggest that Sheikh had been attempting to stop illegal dredging activities that threatened to erode his farmland along the riverbank. This intervention reportedly sparked a violent backlash from the opposing party.
The incident has triggered local political friction, with members of the BNP demanding an immediate and impartial investigation into the killing. Sheikh Abdur Rouf, a BNP leader and the uncle of the victim, stated that his nephew was murdered while opposing illegal extraction efforts led by local groups.
বিজ্ঞাপন
In response to the allegations, Bhara Union Parishad Chairman Sultan Mahmud Khan distanced himself from the violence. Denying any involvement in the illegal sand trade, he characterized the accusations against him as a smear campaign and asserted that he would cooperate fully with any formal administrative or judicial inquiry.
Pabna Additional Superintendent of Police Rezinur Rahman confirmed that law enforcement has recovered the victim’s body and transferred it to the Pabna General Hospital morgue for an autopsy. While the situation in the area has since stabilized, police are actively pursuing leads to identify the perpetrators and determine the specific circumstances surrounding the shooting.
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