Tangail Union Parishad Chairman Under Fire After Video Shows Him Assaulting Residents Over Land Dispute
Tangail Union Parishad Chairman Under Fire After Video Shows Him Assaulting Residents Over Land Dispute
A local government official in Tangail, Bangladesh, is facing widespread public outrage after a video surfaced showing him physically assaulting a woman and several others with a cane. The footage, which has circulated widely on social media since Friday, depicts Bibhash Sarkar, the chairman of Mohera Union Parishad, confronting residents over a land dispute in Teghori Keshob village.
The 51-second video captures Sarkar walking toward a group of people while carrying a cane. He is seen using abusive language toward a woman standing near a mound of soil before striking a man wearing a t-shirt. When the woman attempts to intervene and protest the assault, Sarkar is seen hitting her as well.
According to local accounts, the incident occurred on the morning of June 27. The dispute centers on the construction of a road over land belonging to a resident named Basanti Rani. The property in question was previously the site of an educational institution established approximately 40 years ago by Rani’s father. Since the school ceased operations following the founder's death years ago, the site has primarily functioned as a polling station for elections. Ownership of the land was transferred to Rani and her sister in 2021.
Basanti Rani alleges that the chairman is using the guise of road construction to illegally seize her family's land. She claims that after a boundary wall for the former school blocked their original access route, Sarkar attempted to force a new road through her property. When she, her husband, and her daughter attempted to block the construction, they were subjected to a physical attack. Rani stated that her family remains in fear, adding that the chairman frequently resorts to violence against anyone who opposes his demands.
Residents of the area, speaking on condition of anonymity, described a climate of intimidation under Sarkar’s leadership. One local resident, Bipul Das, alleged that the chairman has a history of attempting to grab land through litigation and threats. While some formal legal complaints against the chairman have been dismissed in court, residents report that he continues to wield influence to prevent them from developing their own properties.
In his defense, Bibhash Sarkar denied the allegations of land grabbing, claiming that he was merely attempting to build an access road for a neighbor. He dismissed the victims, asserting that the woman had obstructed the project and admitting that he had used the cane to strike them.
Mirzapur Upazila Executive Officer Khan Salman Habib stated that authorities are prepared to initiate legal action should a formal complaint be filed by those affected.
