Two men were shot and hacked to death during a clash between rival groups in Aliyara village of Cumilla’s Nangalkot upazila around noon on Friday, according to police and local residents.
Victims have been identified as Delwar Hossain Nayan and Md Abdur Razzak, both residents of Boxgonj union in the upazila.
The violence broke out around 12:30pm on Friday and was triggered by a long-running dispute over local dominance, residents said.
Police and army personnel rushed to the area after receiving reports of the clash and later brought the situation under control. Additional forces were deployed to prevent further unrest.
Arifur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Nangalkot Police Station, told TIMES of Bangladesh, “Two men were killed by gunfire and sharp weapons. The bodies are being sent to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for autopsy.”
“As soon as we received a tip-off, we went to the spot with army personnel,” he said, adding, “Operations are underway to identify and arrest those involved.”
Local residents said the clash stemmed from an ongoing feud between rival factions allegedly led by Abul Khayer Member and Saleh Ahmed Member. They said tensions between the groups had resulted in repeated confrontations over the years.
Residents referred to several previous incidents linked to the dispute, including the killing of former union parishad member Saleh Ahmed on 3 August 2025. They also mentioned the abduction and shooting of Alauddin Member, son of Suroj Mia, in a more recent incident.
In another case last year, a union parishad member named Md Alauddin, 55, from South Aliyara village, was killed in what locals described as a related clash.
The officer-in-charge said reports on the number of injured varied, with local estimates ranging from three to 15 people. The injured were taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital, where some were reported to be in critical condition.
Police said an exact figure could not be confirmed as no official hospital list was available at the time of filing this report.
The latest violence highlights ongoing instability in parts of rural Cumilla, where local power struggles have repeatedly turned deadly. Previous clashes in the area involved vandalism and arson, forcing some families to flee temporarily before returning following mediation by the army, residents said.
Police said no arrests had been made as of Friday evening. Discrepancies in local accounts regarding faction leaders and injury numbers mean further verification will depend on the police investigation.
