Fish worth Tk 20 lakh poisoned

Unknown criminals poisoned to death fish worth around Tk 20 lakh at Nandua village under Uttar Shahbajpur union in Barlekha upazila on Monday.

Locals said, victim Yasin Ali, 45, a fish farmer of Purbo Saipur village, took lease of a pond from Ahmed Hasan Jewel of Nandua village about seven months ago and released fry of different variety of fish there.

Seeing some dead fry floating in the pond on Monday afternoon one of the villagers phoned him, Yasin said.

Hearing the news, he immediately went to the spot and found hundreds of dead fish fry floating on the water, he said.

Criminals might have poured pesticide into the pond, causing death of all the fish worth around Tk 20 lakh, over personal enmity, Yasin said, adding that he don't know how he will recoup the loss and repay the loan that he took from others for the fish farming.

Uttar Shahbajpur Union Parishad Chairman Ahmed Zubair Liton said he went to the spot and saw many dead fish floating on the water.

Officer in Charge of Barlekha Police Station Yasinul Haque said they will take action if a complaint is lodged.