'Rid Kumri Beel of grabbers'

Fishermen demanded freeing of the Kumri Beel in Kalihati upazila from influential grabbers through a petition submitted to the Kalihati upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) on Wednesday.

In the petition, they said the beel at Singna village in Birbasinda union is government property. However, local influential people -- Mostafizur Rahman, Mofazzal Khan, Hafez Uddin, Nuru Miah, Monsur Ali, Mortuz Ali, Abdul Kader, Azahar Ali, Sohrab Ali, Abul Kashem, Nazrul Islam, Bazlu, and Abdul Gafur -- of the village have occupied the waterbody for the last five months.

The people living near the waterbody are fishermen holding cards given by the government, but the grabbers are not allowing them to catch fish there, the petition said.

They are also not allowing local people to use the waterbody for domestic purposes, including bathing their cattle, it said.

Locals also feared deterioration of law and order, including loss of lives, if the waterbody is not freed from occupation, the petition said.

They also urged the upazila administration to take legal steps urgently after holding an investigation in this regard, the petition added.

UNO Shahina Akter said she has received the petition and will take necessary steps in this regard as soon as possible after talking with the upazila fisheries officer.