A farmer in Sarishabari, Jamalpur, has accused rivals in a long-running land dispute of destroying his half-ripe paddy by spraying it with weedkiller. The farmer, Md Jabber Fakir, says the damage cost him about Tk 15,000. He has filed a written complaint at Sarishabari police station naming 16 people.
According to the complaint, Jabber Fakir, son of the late Kalu Fakir of Adra village in the upazila’s Satpoa union, has been in a dispute over land with the other side for a long time. He planted boro paddy seedlings on the disputed land on the strength of his inherited ownership and a deed of relinquishment. The paddy was half-ripe and was due to be harvested in just 15 days.
Jabber Fakir alleges that although a miscellaneous case over the land is pending in court, the accused had long been trying to seize the land by force, and had intimidated and threatened him at various times.
The complaint says that on the night of 12 November the accused sprayed weedkiller on 17.83 decimals of land in plot number 2270 of Adra mouza, destroying all the paddy on it. The farmer puts his financial loss at about Tk 15,000. He also fears that the incident could lead to a breakdown of law and order and of peace in the area.
Upazila agriculture officer Anup Singha said: “This is very sad. We will investigate on the spot and help the affected farmer.”
Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, officer in charge of Sarishabari police station, said: “We have received a written complaint about the incident. Legal action will be taken after a prompt investigation.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report