Dakshin Surma (Sylhet) Correspondent

A young man was killed on Friday afternoon in a clash between two local groups over a long-standing dispute regarding the management of Hazrat Shah Taiyab Sailani (R.) Waqf Estate, its shrine, mosque, and adjacent shops in Silam under Dakshin Surma Upazila.

The deceased was identified as Russel Ahmad (23), son of Sharuk Miah, a resident of the Chokerbazar area.

According to local sources, a rivalry had been brewing for a long time between the Shah and Sheikh clans over control of the Waqf property. Tensions escalated on Friday afternoon in the Chokerbazar area, allegedly triggered by a recent Facebook post that sparked an argument involving Russel. During the confrontation, members of the opposing faction stabbed him, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, where attending physicians declared him dead.

News of Russel's death triggered further violence in the area as both factions clashed with sharp weapons and brickbats. Upon receiving information, police personnel from Dakshin Surma and Moglabazar police stations dispatched forces to the scene and restored order.

Dakshin Surma Police Station OC Md. Ashrafuzzaman and Moglabazar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Ershadul Haq Bhuiyan confirmed the casualty and stated that additional police forces were deployed to maintain peace in the area.

Earlier on August 21, 2026, a fierce two-hour clash between the same groups over the Waqf estate left at least 30 people injured, including Moglabazar Police Station OC Md. Monir Hossain and seven other police officers. Multiple cases were filed by both factions and the police following that incident. Despite ongoing local mediation attempts, tensions persisted, culminating in Friday's fatal clash within six weeks of the previous incident.