Shariatpur, Bangladesh – Four individuals were injured in a clash between two factions of the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) over the distribution of VGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding) rice in Gosairhat upazila, Shariatpur. The incident occurred on Tuesday, March 18, in front of the Samantasar Union Parishad office during a scheduled rice distribution program.
Among the injured are Kabir Hossain Maulana (48), Anwar Hossain Howladar (42), Jamal Molla (50), and local female member of the Union Parishad, Rehana Begum (35). According to police and local sources, the clash escalated after a dispute over the allocation of 200 VGF rice slips. Allegedly, former BNP General Secretary Akhter Hossain Nantu Khan and his followers opposed the distribution of rice to individuals holding these slips, leading to a violent confrontation. Eyewitnesses reported that Nantu Khan’s group detonated homemade explosives (locally known as “cocktail bombs”) during the altercation.
Both factions have a longstanding political rivalry. Tarik Aziz Mobarak Dhali, a former BNP president of the upazila, stated, Nantu Khan has been causing trouble for my supporters since the Union Parishad elections, and today he obstructed the rice distribution, causing the conflict.
Nantu Khan countered the claims, saying, Mobarak Dhali and his group are trying to assert control in areas where they don’t hold influence. The conflict arose due to their unauthorized distribution of rice slips.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gosairhat Police Station, Md. Maksud Alam, confirmed the incident and stated that police were deployed to restore order. No formal complaints have been lodged yet, but we are ready to take appropriate action once we receive an official report, he added.
The distribution of VGF rice was part of a government program aimed at assisting 600 families ahead of Eid, with each family set to receive 10 kilograms of rice. The incident has raised concerns about local political tension and its impact on welfare programs.
Reported by Salahuddin Rupom, Shariatpur
