A tea stall owner was brutally hacked to death by rivals in Alfadanga upazila of Faridpur district, continuing a long-standing village feud and bitter local animosity. The tragic incident occurred on Saturday night at around 9:00 PM near the Mala Government Primary School along the Kashiani-Alfadanga road, where fifty-five-year-old Rabiul Islam Sheikh, widely known as Rabi, was targeted with sharp weapons. Three other individuals sustained severe injuries during the violent assault.
Assistant Superintendent of Police for the Madhukhali, Boalkhali, and Alfadanga circles, Masuduzzaman, officially confirmed the details of the incident. The deceased, Rabiul Islam, was the son of Sattar Sheikh from Borobhag village under the Togorbond union of Alfadanga upazila, and he was the paternal uncle of Suman Sheikh, who was similarly murdered on 26 June. The injured victims have been identified as Moktar Biswas, Hridoy Sheikh, and Liton Khan, all of whom were rushed to the Kashiani Upazila Health Complex for urgent medical treatment. Among them, the condition of Moktar Biswas remains critical due to extensive injuries.
According to local residents and statements gathered from the injured survivors, Rabiul operated a tea stall in the Kashiani sadar market. On the fateful night, after closing his shop for the day, he set off for home accompanied by three local acquaintances. As they approached the Mala Government Primary School along the Kashiani-Alfadanga road, a heavily armed gang of assailants who had been lying in ambush launched a sudden and ferocious attack. Rabiul succumbed to his severe chop wounds at the scene, while his companions were left wounded in the roadway.
Local sources revealed that Borobhag village has long been plagued by factional disputes, rivalries over local dominance, and deep-seated village enmity. Over the past four years, these persistent tensions have repeatedly flared up into violent clashes, retaliatory attacks, and numerous legal cases. The underlying conflict previously claimed the life of twenty-four-year-old Suman Sheikh, a first-year student at Kashiani MA Khaleq Degree College and the son of Rabiul’s brother Alauddin Sheikh. Suman was hacked to death on the evening of 26 June while riding a motorcycle past the house of Ukil Sheikh in the east para of Borobhag village.
The aftermath of Suman’s murder saw retaliatory attacks, vandalism, and looting directed at the homes of rival faction members. Although several suspects were initially arrested in connection with that killing, locals reported that many of them had recently secured bail and returned to the area, igniting renewed panic and tension. Relatives of the victims stated that they had been living in constant fear since Suman’s death, arguing that the unresolved hostility ultimately led to the murder of his uncle.
Police authorities have noted that investigations are ongoing to determine whether the individuals recently released on bail had any direct involvement in Rabiul’s murder. Assistant Superintendent of Police Masuduzzaman stated that law enforcement units were promptly dispatched to the scene following the emergency reports. Police teams are actively working to identify and apprehend all perpetrators involved in the latest bloodshed, and strict legal measures will be enforced upon the completion of a thorough investigation.
