In the northern part of Chattogram, an alarming and violent war has been going on over the past 14 months, particularly in three upazilas – Raozan, Rangunia, and Hathazari.

Armed groups, illegal syndicates, and local political factions are involved in the conflicts over establishing dominance in the area, said sources.

At least 40 people have lost their lives, and over 400 others were injured or disabled in the clashes, while a number of families have fled their homes to save their lives.

Local residents, politicians, and police sources said violence between rival factions has been going on in the region for nearly four decades, but it has intensified in recent months.

Since the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August last year, the political landscape has drastically shifted, sparking internal conflicts within multiple factions of the BNP to dominate the area.

Raozan: The capital of murder

Last Saturday, 55-year-old Mohammad Alamgir, a Juba Dal leader, was shot dead near Kaykobad Jame Mosque, as he was returning home on a motorcycle. His wife and child followed him by an auto-rickshaw at that time in the Raozan upazila.

Earlier, on 7 October, Raozan BNP activist and businessman Abdul Hakim was gunned down in his vehicle, ambushed at Madunaghat Bridge in Hathazari upazila. Juba Dal leader Muhammad Selim was killed in front of a market in the presence of his family on 6 July.

Raozan has now become a hotspot for political killings, with at least 17 deaths recorded in the past 14 months. Thirteen of them were leaders and activists of BNP or its affiliated organisations.

Raozan hosts at least 15 powerful armed groups controlling different areas. They are involved in drug peddling, sand mining, and extortion, said sources.

While the BNP-aligned factions now dominate the area, the groups backed by the Awami League, whose activities are banned, remain in municipal areas, they added.

Key gangs there include Raihan Bahini, Fazal Haque Bahini, Jasim Bahini, Kamal Bahini, Jane Alam Bahini, Ramzan Bahini, Mamun Bahini, Bhupesh Bahini, and Major Iqbal Bahini.

Violence spreads to Rangunia and Hathazari

Rangunia has seen 16 murders in the past 14 months, fueled by political clashes and old rivalries.

On 10 April, Awaimong Marma was shot while he was guarding a lemon garden in Lemmuchhra. Mohammad Russel, who recently returned from abroad, was hacked and shot in Padua union.

In Hathazari, on 14 October, two youths – Opi Das, president of Chhatra Dal Chikondandi union, and Tanim, 20, were stabbed to death in Chowdhuryhat.

Raihan, from an auto-rickshaw driver to a notorious killer

The fall of the authoritarian Awami League government on 5 August last year marked the beginning of significant political change.

On 31st August 2024, two AL activists, Masud Kaiser and Mohammad Anis, were shot and hacked to death in separate areas of the Bayezid-Kuaiish connecting road.

This was the first time the notorious gangster Sajjad Hossain from Hathazari, also known as "Chhoto Sajjad," came into the spotlight.

Sajjad and his associates also allegedly shot and killed 26-year-old Aftab Uddin Tahsin in the Chandgaon area.

Sajjad was arrested within six weeks, but most of his gang remained at large. No firearms were recovered from him either.

On 29 March, a gun attack on Bakolia Access Road killed Bakhtiar Hossain, 30, and Mohammad Abdullah, 32, followers of gangster Sorwar Hossain, who survived.

Sajjad’s followers carried out the assassination in retaliation, blaming Sorwar and his group for betraying him.

On 23rd May, Ali Akbar was shot dead at Patenga beach. In a hospital bed, he identified Raihan as the shooter. Akbar had earlier blamed Sajjad’s gang for the Raozan killings, linking these political murders to Sajjad’s associates.

Sajjad’s gang has 25 active members, including key associates Raihan, Mobarak Hossain alias Imon, Borhan, Khorshed, and Sajjad’s nephew Mohammad, with Raihan the most notorious.

Once a humble auto-rickshaw driver, 35-year-old Mohammad Raihan was politically active under the ousted Awami League. He then shifted allegiance to the BNP after the political shift.

In prison, he met Sajjad, with whom he formed a close partnership. After their bail on 5th August last year, Raihan grew increasingly violent and later managed Sajjad’s weapons stock.

Last Saturday, Raihan reportedly participated in the killing of Juba Dal activist Alamgir Alam in Charabattol of Raozan.

A video showed Alamgir fearing Raihan’s involvement. His son, Ashfayet Hasan, alleged, “Eight to 10 armed men fired shots for about two minutes. Raihan directly shot my father.”

Since 5 August last year, Raihan faced 13 criminal cases, including six murders.

Inspector Mojammel Hossain of Bakolia police station said Raihan is known for random shootings and remains elusive, hiding in the Raozan and Fatikchhari hills.

He learned terrorism from Sajjad and grew more ruthless over time.

Officer in-Charge Monirul Islam Bhuiyan of the police station confirmed that Raihan is one of 3–4 suspects involved in the murder of Juba Dal leader Mohammad Selim.

Political rivalry fuels bloodshed

Violence in northern Chattogram is largely driven by BNP’s political infighting, especially between factions loyal to BNP’s former Vice Chairman Gias Uddin Kader Chowdhury and BNP Chairperson’s advisor and north district unit former convener Golam Akbar Khandakar.

Many recent murders are politically motivated, with both the feuding groups blaming each other.

RAB-7 Commander Lt Col Md Hafizur Rahman said, “Around 17 murders have taken place in Raozan over the past 14 months. During a recent raid in Noapara Ward 4, nine locally made firearms and several sharp weapons were recovered—similar to those used in earlier killings.”

He claimed that most suspects were arrested. But, not all murders were purely political since extortion, power struggles, and personal disputes also played roles.

Chattogram district Additional Superintendent of Police Md Rasel noted that efforts to arrest the perpetrators continue, but internal politics and lack of political will hinder the progress.

North district BNP Senior leader Belayet Hossain said, “It is unfortunate that our party members’ names keep appearing in the incidents of murders. If anyone from our party is involved, strict action must be taken.”

Efforts to reach both Gias Uddin and Golam Akbar for comment over the phone were unsuccessful.

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