Thirteen people, including a union parishad chairman, have allegedly received anonymous death threats accompanied by pieces of white cloth resembling burial shrouds in Madhabpur upazila of Habiganj.

According to police, a parcel containing the pieces of cloth and a threatening letter was delivered yesterday to the office of Khorshed Alam, a UP chairman and local BNP leader.

The letter warned the recipients that they would "live only a few more days" and urged them to "understand the consequences of playing with fire".

Besides Khorshed, those named in the letter were Anwar Hossain, Mahmud Hossain, Misir Ali, Mir Khurshed, Abdul Gafur, Mizan Conductor, Bazlu, Syed Shibbir, Anas, Talha, Tanzil and Noman.

The letter also named several Awami League leaders, claiming that one of them would be made chairmen.

Khorshed filed a general diary with Madhabpur Police Station and informed the Habiganj superintendent of police.

OC Sohel Rana said police were investigating the incident from multiple angles.

"At the preliminary stage, we suspect the letters may be linked to an ongoing dispute between neighbours. We are also examining whether a recent incident involving fish being poisoned in a pond is connected," he said.

He added that identical letters and pieces of white cloth were sent to all the recipients in similar envelopes.