A father and son left their village to escape bloodshed. But violence found them

A long-standing rivalry between two influential families in Narail's Singasholpur Union has left four people dead in a clash.

The violence between supporters of former union council chairmen Khayeruzzaman Khayer Molla and Ujjal Sheikh erupted shortly after sehri on Sunday.

According to police and local residents, a group of 50 to 60 men from Tarapur village went to Barakula village and attacked the home of Khalil Sheikh. The situation later escalated into retaliatory attacks, during which six houses belonging to supporters of Khayer Molla were set on fire.

The victims were attacked with sharp weapons. Three died at the scene, while another later succumbed to injuries in hospital.

The dead were identified as Khalil Sheikh, 70, his son Tahajjat Sheikh, 41, and their associate Ferdous Hossain, 40 -- all described as supporters of Ujjal Sheikh. Osikur Fakir, 36, a supporter of Khayer Molla, also died after being injured in the violence.

Earlier reports had suggested a fifth fatality, but police later confirmed that only four people had died. Ferdous Hossain’s son Munna Sheikh, who was reported dead in rumours, is undergoing treatment in hospital.

The tragedy is compounded by the account of Khalil’s widow, Manjura Begum, who said the family had moved from Tarapur to Barakula around a decade ago to avoid recurring village clashes.

“We were preparing to sleep after sehri when Khayer, his brother and at least 50 others entered our house,” she said. “They took my husband and son outside saying they wanted to talk, and then hacked them to death.”

She said Ferdous was killed when he tried to intervene.

On the other side, Osikur Fakir’s wife, Keya Begum, said her husband was critically injured in the counter-attack and died shortly after being taken to hospital.

Residents said that although Osikur lived in Barakula, he was aligned with Khayer Molla and had joined the group that went to the village.

The atmosphere at Narail Sadar Hospital and in Barakula village was tense as grieving relatives gathered. Additional police have been deployed to prevent further unrest.

Narail Superintendent of Police Mohammad Al-Mamun Sikder said the killings stemmed from a long-standing rivalry for local dominance between supporters of the two former chairmen.

Sadar Police Station chief Oli Mia said the bodies have been sent for autopsy and no formal case had been filed as of Sunday afternoon.