At least ten people, including women, were injured during an attack on demonstrators who were holding a protest demanding the recovery of temple land in Arwail village of Sarail Upazila in the Brahmanbaria district.
Hundreds of men and women from the local Hindu community had gathered around 2:15 p.m. on 25th of February outside the Sri Sri Mohonlal Jiu Temple and marched toward the disputed land, shouting slogans and demanding that their sacred property be restored.
Clash with Locals
According to eyewitnesses, as the peaceful protest reached the contested area, a local resident named Shahid Mia and his supporters objected to the march. Tensions escalated quickly when they allegedly began blocking the procession.
Eyewitness accounts say stones were thrown at the protestors, and a group of around 20 to 25 men armed with sticks attacked the demonstrators, injuring at least ten people. The injured later received treatment at the Sarail Upazila Health Complex.
Background of Land Dispute
Leaders of the temple committee claim the land in question is part of the temple’s property, which has been under dispute for some time. A lawsuit over the ownership is currently in progress in court. They allege Shahid Mia illegally dumped sand and filled part of a nearby canal to encroach on temple land.
However, Shahid Mia has denied all allegations, saying he neither filled the canal nor attacked the protestors. According to him, what appears to be a canal is actually private land, and he claims the incident was stirred up by external forces unrelated to the dispute.
Local Reactions and Police Response
Senior local resident Yadav Ghosh expressed frustration, saying, “We came to protest but now have become victims of violence. We want justice.”
Union Parishad Chairman Md. Mosharraf Hossain acknowledged the land dispute and said that both sides claim ownership. Because the case is in court, he said the issue could not be resolved immediately. He also stated that Shahid Mia had been warned against filling the canal but allegedly did so during the night.
Meanwhile, Officer-in-Charge Manjur Kader Bhuiyan of Sarail Police Station confirmed that no formal written complaint has yet been filed with the police, but authorities were ready to take action if one is submitted.
