Police have arrested three individuals, including the main suspect Awami League leader Asmat Ali, following the killing of two BNP activists in a violent clash over a government-owned pond in Raiganj, Sirajganj.
Raiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Golam Kibria confirmed that Asmat Ali and two of his associates-Tarikul Ali and Ashraf Ali-have been taken into custody.
All three are currently receiving treatment at Sirajganj 250-bed General Hospital while under police supervision.
The victims -Ismail Hossain, 70; and Abdus Salam, 60, both residents of Goalpara village in Dhamainagar Union, Raiganj, died while undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the clash.
Police reports indicate the confrontation arose from a long-standing dispute between Asmat Ali, a supporter of Awami League whose activities are banned, and Abu Bakkar Siddique, BNP general secretary of Ward No. 2 in Dhamainagar Union, over the leasing of the government-owned pond.
Asmat Ali had leased the pond under the name of Goalpara Mosque for fish farming, while Abu Bakkar Siddique acquired a three-year lease after the government change on 5 August, 2024.
The incident occurred Monday morning around 7:30am when Abu Bakkar Siddique and his associates attempted to catch fish using nets, prompting Asmat Ali and his supporters to intervene.
The confrontation quickly escalated into violence, with both sides attacking each other using machetes, sticks, and bricks. At least 12 people sustained injuries in the clash.
After receiving a call to the 999 emergency service, police reached the spot and brought the situation under control and sent the injured to different hospitals, he said.
The injured were taken to Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Sirajganj 250-bed General Hospital for treatment, where Ismail Hossain and Abdus Salam later succumbed to their injuries.
