What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
In Marichbunia village under Patuakhali Sadar Upazila, a land dispute involving a Hindu family has escalated into allegations of assault, intimidation and attempted dispossession. The accused Zakir Bhuiya has firmly denied all accusations.
Gopal Mali, a resident of Marichbunia, alleges that locally influential individuals attempted to forcibly occupy his 40-decimals of his ancestral land. Speaking at a press conference at the Patuakhali Press Club on 20th February, he claimed that the accused had recently begun dumping sand on the property, typically the first step towards permanent construction.
According to him, the complaint was followed by vandalism inside his home, frequent intimidation making it impossible for his children to attend school and pressure on his son to leave the country for India.
He further alleges that he was assaulted while returning home after one of the accused was released on bail on February 16. His brother-in-law, Ratan Majhi, was also injured. Both were treated at Patuakhali Sadar Hospital.
Mali has additionally alleged that ₹2,20,000 in cash and two gold chains were taken during the attack. A separate case has reportedly been filed.
The principal accused, Zakir Bhuiya, rejects the allegations.
He maintains that his brother-in-law, Suman Paida, legally purchased the disputed land from the heirs of Gopal Manjhi and constructed a house on it. According to Bhuiya, it was Mali who later attempted to obstruct lawful construction.
He denies any assault, threats, or coercion.
This positions the conflict as a civil land dispute rather than criminal intimidation.
The local Union Parishad Chairman, Moniruzzaman Titu, confirmed receiving a written complaint and said both parties were asked to present documentation before the Union Parishad. One side, he noted, did not appear.
The Officer-in-Charge of Pachakhali Police Station stated that police are aware of the dispute and confirmed that one accused had earlier been sent to jail in connection with a related complaint.
Beyond these statements, authorities have not publicly addressed the assault and robbery allegations.
Land disputes are common across rural Bangladesh. What makes this case sensitive is its communal dimension.
Minority rights organizations have documented repeated allegations of targeted land grabbing against Hindu families.
The Hindu Voice recorded 12 instances of alleged land grabbing against Hindus during November–December 2025 alone.
The Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council documented 66 such targeted land-grabbing incidents across Bangladesh in 2025.
Each case varies in its specifics. Some involve contested deeds. Others allege coercion, intimidation, or violence.
Even allowing for case-by-case verification, the numbers suggest a recurring vulnerability tied to property ownership.
