Five individuals were arrested in Bhairab, Kishoreganj, following a clash over the control of a microstand. The arrests were made during a raid on Friday morning. No case has been filed yet in connection with the incident.
Meanwhile, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bhairab Police Station, Ataur Rahman Akand, was withdrawn on Thursday evening following the clash on Wednesday night. Additional Police Super of Bhairab Circle, Abu Musa Sheikh, stated that the OC was transferred to Kishoreganj Police Lines for public interest and administrative reasons.
According to police sources, the clash on Wednesday night caused a four-and-a-half-hour traffic jam on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, affecting thousands of passengers. Additionally, at least eight businesses were looted, and several others were vandalized during the conflict. The OC was removed for failing to take prompt action.
The clash over the control of the microstand in Bhairab occurred on Wednesday night. Prior to this, on June 4, a conflict broke out at Bhairab Railway Station between residents of Panchaboti and Jagannathpur areas over a football match. This earlier incident led to a four-and-a-half-hour suspension of train services on the Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Sylhet, and other eastern routes.
Police reported that multiple juvenile gangs are active around the Bhairab Bus Stand. The detained individuals are leaders of various juvenile gangs and were directly involved in the Wednesday clash. The arrested individuals are Antar Mia, son of Zillur Rahman from Bhairab Bus Stand area; Asikuzzaman, son of Selim Molla from Bhairabpur Uttarpara; Limon Mia; Akash Mia, son of Halim Molla from Bhairabpur Madhyapara; and Alauddin Mia, son of Ruhul Amin.
The Bhairab Bus Stand is a crucial point on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway and is connected to the Bhairab-Mymensingh regional highway. The stand has a microstand office, with the president of the municipal labor party, Mo. Siam, serving as its president. Local sources indicate that some individuals from Bhairabpur are attempting to increase their dominance over the microstand. A week ago, a dispute arose over the microbus fare, leading to ongoing tension between the parties. This culminated in the Wednesday clash, where individuals from Bhairabpur vandalized the microstand, prompting a response from Kamalpur residents, leading to the conflict.
On Friday morning, normalcy returned to the Bhairab Bus Stand, with police patrolling the area. However, several businesses remained closed due to looting and vandalism. Affected business owners claim that the prevalence of juvenile gangs leads to frequent clashes in the bus stand area, often resulting in looting and vandalism of shops.
Sub-inspector Emdadul Kabir of Bhairab Police Station stated that no party has filed a case yet regarding the incident. Police are preparing to file a case against the detained individuals and send them to court.
Regarding the situation, Bhairab Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) KM Mamunur Rashid mentioned that the administration is fully prepared to handle any future untoward incidents.
