Gunfire, bombs rock Munshiganj village as 2 groups clash over controlling potato transportation

At least 20 rounds of gunshots were fired and five to six handmade bombs were exploded in Munshiganj's Gazaria as two groups involved in the transportation of potatoes clashed over establishing dominance last night (7 March).

Potato supply activities remained suspended in the area after the clash at the Bhati Chak area of Gazaria's Hoglakandi village, according to police and locals.

Gazaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Anwar Alam Azad said, "I received the news this morning [8 March]. Efforts are underway to catch the culprits involved in the clash."

"We are working to ensure farmers can transport their harvested potatoes smoothly," he added.

Locals said there was a dispute between the two groups led by Ramzan and Lalu-Saikat of Hoglakandi over various issues, including potato supply, for some time now. Ramzan was out of the area for a long time due to political reasons. He recently returned and has been trying to establish dominance.

Both sides recently got involved in a conflict over controlling potato transportation using tractors during the ongoing harvesting season. Ramzan and his followers recently stopped the Lalu-Saikat group from exclusively transporting potatoes by tractors like the previous years.

When the Lalu-Saikat group was loading potato sacks onto their tractors from farmers' land around 10pm last night, Ramzan and his group members stopped them, locals said.

At this time, five to six bombs were first detonated to create panic. Later, sporadic shootings between the two sides took place till 12am. Locals said they heard at least 20 rounds of gunshots at this time.

"No one else can come for potato transportation work now in this area. Only one party has been doing this for a long time. We have to pay at least Tk15 more per sack than normal for transporting potatoes," said Abdul Ali, a local farmer. 

"Now potato transportation has been suspended. Farmers will be affected if the situation does not improve quickly," he added. 

Mokarram Hossain, another local farmer, said, "Out of fear, no one is coming to transport potatoes with tractors. Our harvested potatoes are lying in the field."

Multiple calls were made to Ramzan and Lalu's mobile phones to get their comments on the matter. But both of their numbers were found switched off.