At least 10 people were injured Tuesday afternoon during a violent clash between traders and supporters of the Maligachha Union Parishad (UP) Chairman over the allocation of shops in a newly constructed market.
The incident occurred in front of the Tebunia Bazar Mosque in Pabna Sadar Upazila. Witnesses said the conflict stems from long-standing grievances regarding the redevelopment of the old Maligachha Union Parishad building into a modern market.
Traders allege that Chairman Syed Muntaz Ali has been opaque about the market's design and has demanded "excessive payments" from previous shop owners. "We discovered the Chairman reduced the dimensions of our allotted spaces. When we asked for the official design, he and his men attacked us," claimed Farhad Zaman Rubel, a garment businessman.
Conversely, Chairman Muntaz Ali dismissed the allegations as a "conspiracy." He maintained that the market is being built according to local government regulations and that all allocations will be handled fairly based on merit and prior ownership.
The injured, including traders Md. Rokon and Mobin Uddin, as well as the Chairman's brother Mohammad Ali, are receiving treatment at Pabna General Hospital.
Pabna Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Tariqul Islam, confirmed that police were deployed to the scene to restore order. While no formal case has been filed yet, police stated legal action will follow once a written complaint is received.
