Temple attacked over land dispute in Jhalakathi: by SM Rejaul Karim in Dhaka Tribune, Nov 17, 2016

Jhalokati:  A Kali temple was attacked and vandalised during a clash between the temple management committee and local traders over a long-running land dispute on Wednesday night.
At least 15 people, including four policemen, were injured in the incident at the town’s Barachal neighbourhood.
Jhalakathi police’s Additional ASP Muhammad Abdur Rakib said a group of men started hurling brickbats at the end of Kartik Puja on Wednesday night.
They hurled stones at police when the latter intervened and fled the scene a while later.
An idol was destroyed.
Senior police ASP Mahmud Hasan claimed that people loyal to the temple committee attacked them. At least 15 people were injured in the clash that followed.
RAB personnel were brought from Barisal to bolster security at the temple.
Sources said the temple committee and traders had been engaged in a bitter tussle for a long time. They fought pitched battle recently over the issue.
Former municipal councillor Pranab Kumar Nath is backing the temple while Awami League’s Jhalakathi unit organising secretary and also municipal councillor Tarun karmakar is with the Barchala traders.
Rice traders Gopal Debnath and Hakim Hawlader said they had sat with temple committee several times over the dispute. The deputy commissioner had formed a three-member committee to resolve the issue.
They claimed temple committee members launched a surprise attack Wednesday night, beat up the traders and looted money from their shops.
Gopal and Hakim alleged that it was the temple committee members who had vandalised the idol.
Kalibari Temple’s General Secretary Pranab Kumar Vanu said the temple committee and rice traders were fighting in court over the possession of the land.
“The rice traders attacked and vandalised the temple and the idol,” he claimed, adding that some of the attackers were Hindus.
“It was not a communal attack,” Pranab said. http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/11/17/temple-attacked-land-dispute-jhalakathi/