The two hour clash involved police and two rival factions disputing control of a shrine, mosque donation box and waqf estate in Sylhet.
Police and locals gather after a clash over control of a shrine and mosque donation box in Silam Choker Bazar, Sylhet, 21 August 2026. Photo: Collected
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Police and locals gather after a clash over control of a shrine and mosque donation box in Silam Choker Bazar, Sylhet, 21 August 2026. Photo: Collected
At least 30 people, including the officer-in-charge (OC) of Moglabazar Police Station and seven other police officers, were injured in a clash between two factions over control of a shrine and mosque donation box in Sylhet yesterday (21 August).
The clash erupted around 1pm in the Silam Choker Bazar area near the Hazrat Shah Tayyab Sailani (R) Jame Mosque and Eidgah.
The long-running dispute over the management of the Hazrat Shah Tayyab Sailani (R) Waqf estate, its 40 shops and the formation of a management committee escalated into a two-hour clash involving bricks and locally made weapons. Traffic on the Chandipul-Balaganj road was temporarily halted during the violence.
Police responding to the clash, including Moglabazar OC Md Monir Hossain, were attacked. Around 25 injured people, including mosque Mutawalli Fazlu Mia, Shueb Ahmad and Ariful Haque Roni, were taken to South Surma Upazila Health Complex and Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.
Manzurul Alam, additional deputy commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, said a meeting with local elders to resolve the dispute is scheduled for tonight. Additional police have been deployed in the area to maintain peace.
