The attack on a housing company and the studio of a well-known content creator in the capital’s ECB Chattar area was linked to a long-running land dispute, with allegations of extortion also emerging. The investigation has found involvement of local leaders and activists of the Awami League, BNP and Jamaat in the fight over land control.
Several attacks have taken place over land disputes involving housing projects in the area. Conflicts over occupation and counter-occupation have repeatedly led to clashes, with several general diaries and cases filed with Cantonment Police Station under investigation.
New Gini Properties has also been locked in a land dispute with another housing company, Online Group. Police have been investigating counter-allegations between the two sides for several years.
The dispute resurfaced after Saturday’s attack on the New Gini housing project and vandalism at the studio of content creator Salman Muqtadir.
Gulshan Division Deputy Commissioner of Police (DC) Mohammad Ruhul Kabir Khan told TIMES, “Manikdi and surrounding areas are expanding as urban areas. As a result, several housing projects have been developed. Attacks are taking place over land disputes among many housing companies. Police are investigating numerous allegations involving individuals, companies and housing projects.”
Locals said at least three attacks and clashes have taken place in the New Gini project area since 5 August 2024. Housing companies became involved in these clashes over land occupation and counter-occupation, with powerful individuals and politicians allegedly backing different sides.
The case filed over Saturday night’s attack names leaders and activists of BNP, Jamaat and Awami League as accused.
Cantonment Police Station Inspector (Operations) Subrata Debnath told TIMES on Tuesday evening that police had arrested six people. Five were named in the first information report, while one was identified during the investigation.
Among the accused, Shahriya Mahmud is a madrasa teacher who was previously involved with Muktijoddha Projonmo League. Abul Kashem is associated with Jamaat in the Cantonment area while Mizanur Rahman is the son-in-law of Jamaat lawmaker from Kushtia-2 constituency Abdul Gafur and is locally active in Jamaat politics.
Shah Alam Anik is the joint convener of Muktijoddha Projanmo League and vice-president of Bhashantek Thana Jubo League. Ibrahim and several others who took part in the attack are known as local Jubo Dal activists.
Police said other participants were low-income workers living in Bhashantek slum.
Several Manikdi residents said New Gini, which was attacked on Saturday night, had also faced previous allegations of attacks. Complaints have been filed over land grabbing and attempts to force landowners to sell property by blocking roads.
New Gini Chairman Nazim Uddin Bhuiyan Arzu said Salman Muqtadir had been given land on a four-year lease. Although Muqtadir purchased 10 kathas of land, several people occupied it without handing over possession.
Nazim Uddin claimed New Gini had repeatedly been attacked. He said a demand for Tk2 crore in extortion was made before Saturday’s incident and that he filed a general diary (GD) with Cantonment Police Station.
He also alleged a link with housing company Online Group.
Online Group official engineer Abdul Rahman said the company had a land dispute with New Gini. Several plots had been occupied, he said, adding that cases were ongoing. He denied any involvement in the attack.
Cantonment Police Station said New Gini’s owners were involved in cases with several individuals and organisations. Chairman Nazim Uddin himself faces five cases, police said.
Local sources said the New Gini-Online Group dispute centres on land. On 7 August 2024, an incident took place inside New Gini Housing involving an Online Group structure. A later police investigation found that the incident was linked to the developer company.
Online Group Managing Director Khan Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman is Dhaka North vice-president of the Awami League, which now faces ban on its activities. Sources said that while Akhtaruzzaman was in hiding, New Gini’s owner occupied Online Group’s land using hired criminals.
Akhtaruzzaman was arrested by the dissolved Rapid Action Battalion (now SRB) in February 2025. After that, New Gini occupied disputed land belonging to Online Group and several other organisations and individuals, sources said.
Sources said Online Group’s ties with several local BNP and Jamaat figures prompted efforts to recover the disputed land. The dispute between the two companies has now become public.
In September 2025, New Gini built a mosque and accommodation facilities for workers along the route to South Manikdi village. Locals later attacked the site, and a complaint remains pending with Cantonment Police Station.
Local residents have houses inside the New Gini project area but are in dispute with the company over an internal road.
Through Gate 1 of New Gini Housing inside ECB Chattar, residents can use the internal road and exit through Gate 4 towards Namapara. However, New Gini authorities closed Gate 1, triggering anger among locals.
Several residents said the closure forced them to take longer routes.
Nazim Uddin said they had not blocked the road but had only ensured security for the project.
Cantonment Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Gias Uddin told TIMES, “There are several housing projects in Manikdi and Matikata. There are disputes over these projects. Old disputes are being examined. The dispute between Online Group and New Gini’s project is also under investigation.”
Several police officials involved in the investigation said the attack was linked to a dispute over 35 kathas of land in Manikdi. One group moved to recover the land, alleging that New Gini’s people had occupied it and built structures there.
An official said an agreement was reached with Shahriya Mahmud to allocate five kathas in exchange for helping recover the occupied land. Shahriya later planned to take control of the property, the official said.
Local Muktijoddha Projanmo League leader Shah Alam Anik helped him gather people. Munna and Mamun, residents of Bhashantek slum, and auto-rickshaw driver Aslam arranged people to take part in the attack.
New Gini Properties Director Saiful Islam Bhuiyan filed a case with Cantonment Police Station naming 13 people, along with 150 to 200 unidentified accused.
Nazim Uddin said they sold 35 kathas of land and are now trying to take it back. Another eight kathas are also involved in the dispute.
He said the land price was Tk20 lakh per katha due to the lack of road access and alleged that Online Group was behind the attack.
He also claimed Online Group Managing Director Akhtaruzzaman became active after securing bail through a court order and now operates an office in Mohammadpur.
Despite several attempts, TIMES could not obtain Akhtaruzzaman’s comment.
