2 brothers killed as turf war over sand trade turns violent in Madaripur

Two people have been killed and several others injured in a violent clash between rival groups competing for control of the illegal sand trade in Madaripur Sadar Upazila.

The incident occurred in Khoajpur around noon on Saturday, according to the police.

The dead men have been identified as Saiful Sardar, 40, and his brother Alil Sardar, 35, from Khoajpur village.

Among the injured, three have been transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

Amid the chaos, the victims' homes were set on fire, escalating tensions further. To restore order, police and army personnel were deployed, according to local authorities.

Police and local residents said that a long-standing dispute over illegal sand extraction and territorial dominance in the Arial Khan River had been intensifying between Md Shahjahan Khan and Saiful in Khoajpur Union.

Tensions boiled over into a deadly clash between their supporters on Saturday. During the fight, Saiful and his younger brother Alil were attacked with sharp weapons, dying on the spot. At least eight others were injured in the violence.

The wounded were rushed to the Madaripur Sadar Hospital, where doctors referred three critically injured people to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Madaripur Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Chatak Chakma said, “To control the situation, additional police and army personnel have been deployed. Two individuals have been detained for questioning.”