Sirajul Islam Chana, 50, chairman of Panchgaon union parishad of Rajnagar upazila in Moulvibazar was allegedly shot dead at Madhur Bazar of the upazila on Friday in a clash between two groups of villagers.
Hundreds of other people on both sides were also injured in the incident.
Deceased chairman Chana was general secretary of Panchgaon union Awami League and a member of the upazila Awami League.
According to local people, the clash started at about 11:00am on Friday and lasted until 2:00pm.
The people said that after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, the shop of Mahesh Das at Madhur Bazar of Panchgaon union of the upazila was looted.
Chunu Mia, brother of local Awami League leader Dewan Mia, had an altercation with alleged looters at Madhur Bazar on Friday morning, they added.
When the villagers on both sides came to know about the issue, tension spread.
At one stage, one group led by BNP leader of Rakta village clashed with people of another group led by Pintu Sultan and Awami League leader of Keola village Dewan Mia with firearms and locally made weapons at Madhur Bazar.
During the clash, supporters of both of the groups opened fire, leaving hundreds of people on the both sides injured by bullets, bricks and other weapons.
Bullet injured Pachgaon union parishad chairman and also the union Awami League general secretary, Sirajul Islam Chana, was taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital where the doctor on duty declared him dead.
On information, the army personnel in charge of Moulvibazar and Rajnagar rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
Meanwhile, there is extreme tension in the area as the news of the chairman鈥檚 death spread.
Locals feared that a violent clash might take place any time.
The injured have been admitted to hospitals in different places including Rajnagar, Moulvibazar and Sylhet.
Army personnel are deployed to keep the situation normal.
Dewan Mia, cousin of deceased chairman Sirajul Islam Chana, said, 鈥楳y brother was shot dead by BNP leader Pintu Sultan. They also looted all our shops.鈥�
Helal Uddin, warrant officer of Moulvibazar camp of the army, said that they went to the spot and brought the situation under control.聽
Suprabhat Chakma, upazila nirbahi officer of Rajnagar, said, 鈥業 have received news of death of the chairman. This is very shocking. The army has been deployed on the spot to keep the situation calm.鈥�
More than 150 people killed in violence after the fall of Sheikh Hasina who resigned as prime minister and took shelter in India on August 5 amid the student-led mass uprising while more than 350 people including student protesters, ordinary people and police members were killed in violence during the student protests for reforming the quota system in government jobs.
