Gunfire and explosions rock Munshiganj's Gazaria throughout night
Tension gripped Hoglakandi village in Gazaria, Munshiganj, following overnight clashes between two rival groups starting last night (24 April) and continuing throughout the early hours today (25 April).
Houses were vandalised, and a motorcycle was set ablaze during the clashes.
Locals reported hearing gunshots and the sound of crude bomb explosions throughout the night. The violence stems from a long-standing feud over dominance and other disputes between supporters of Amirul Islam, a local union council member, and the Lalu-Saikat group from the same area.
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"We rushed to the scene after hearing about the incident. The attackers fled upon sensing our presence. We recovered bullet casings and crude bomb remains," said Gazaria Police Inspector (Investigation) Shahidul Islam.
"No arrests have been made, and we're unaware of any injuries. Legal proceedings are underway," he added.
Sources confirmed that on 6 April, two individuals — Al Amin and Renu Mia from the Lalu-Saikat group — were injured during an alleged attack by Amirul's supporters.
Those accused in the incident were recently released on bail, fueling tensions further.
Violence reignited last night around 8:30pm when Amirul's group reportedly attacked and vandalised homes belonging to Lalu-Saikat supporters.
Rumours quickly spread that a member of Amirul's group had been killed during the attack, which escalated the situation.
In retaliation, members of the Lalu-Saikat group launched a counter-attack, damaging homes and setting a motorcycle on fire. Throughout the night, the area echoed with gunshots and explosions.
"I heard three or four explosions. I can't say for sure if they were gunshots or crude bombs. People stayed locked in their homes, terrified," said Mehedi Hasan, a local.
Eyewitness Fatema Begum expressed her frustration, saying, "We are fed up with these two groups. Every few days, there's fighting and shooting. Last night, from 8:30pm to midnight, we kept hearing gunfire."
Saikat, a member of the Lalu-Saikat group, claimed, "We rarely stay at home anymore due to threats. On Thursday night, Amirul's men attacked and vandalised our houses after learning we might return. They fired several rounds targeting our supporters."
Meanwhile, Amirul Islam said, "The Lalu-Saikat group launched two attacks on us armed with modern weapons. Around 10–15 armed men opened fire."
"Our people ran in panic. They later vandalised a house and set a motorcycle on fire. When the police arrived, the attackers fled," he added.
