Clashes Over Shrine Control in Sylhet Leave 30 Injured

A violent clash broke out between two opposing factions over the control of a shrine waqf estate, a local mosque, and shop quotas in Sylhet. The incident took place in the Silam area under the jurisdiction of Moglabazar Police Station on Friday, August 21, around 1:00 PM.

The confrontation stemmed from a long-standing dispute regarding the administrative control and management of the religious properties. The tension escalated into open violence between the involved parties, creating panic and chaos in the surrounding neighborhood of the Sylhet metropolitan area.

According to official reports, the widespread violence resulted in significant casualties on both sides. At least thirty people sustained various injuries during the pitched battles. Furthermore, law enforcement personnel attempting to restore order were also targeted, leaving seven police officers injured in the line of duty.

The legal backdrop of the dispute involves multiple layers of administrative and judicial oversight. Although the High Court Division upheld a committee previously approved by the Waqf Administrator of Bangladesh, a separate legal intervention temporarily suspended the activities of Mutwalli Fazlu Miah.

Following the suspension of the incumbent Mutwalli, directives were issued to hand over operational responsibilities to Abed Raja. This administrative shift added fuel to the existing rivalry between the factions vying for supremacy over the estate and associated commercial spaces.

Local authorities deployed additional police forces to the Moglabazar area to bring the situation under control and prevent further escalation. The injured individuals, including the wounded police officers, were rushed for medical treatment to nearby medical facilities, specifically the South Surma Upazila Health Complex and the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.