Tales of venomous rivalry

At least 3000 banana plants of 11 farmers have been felled allegedly by rivals at Dudsar village in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenidah district, reports our correspondent.

The victims are Mofij Uddin, who cultivated the plants of the fruit on 20 decimals of land, Bipul Hossain on 15 decimals,  Sayed Ali on 10 decimals,  Joynal Hossain on 45 decimals,  Rezaul Islam on 10 decimals,  Nazrul Islam on 10 decimals, Hossain Ali on 10 decimals,  Mojibur Rahman on 5 decimals,  Siddique Ali on 40 decimals,  Rabbani Mandol on 8 decimals,  Motiar Rahman on 15 decimals,  Amirul Islam on 33 decimals,  and Sabed Ali on 10 decimals.

The affected farmers said their rival group, allegedly led by Milton Joardar and Tarun Joardar backed by a local lawmaker, felled the banana plants on 7 bighas of land on Monday night.

Locals said, there had been a longstanding conflict between AL-backed former Shailkupa upazila chairman Nayeb Ali Joardar and Milton and Tarun. As a sequel of the feud, the rival group damaged the plants, causing huge loss to the farmers, they said.

“Now I don't know how I will repay the loan of Tk 5,000 taken from local NGO Asha”, posed grower Nazrul who leased 10 decimals of land by Tk 7,000 for the banana cultivation.

Contacted, former UP chairman Nayeb Ali and Milton and Tarun blamed each other for felling of the banana plants.

Deputy Commissioner Shafikul Islam asked OC Sagir Mia of Shailkupa police station to file a case and arrest the accused be they are AL and BNP activists.

Away in Rangpur, criminals cut off at least 126 mango saplings of an orchard at Osmanpur village in Pirganj upazila early Tuesday, reports our correspondent.

Owner of the orchard, Habibur Rahman, 65, of Duramithipur village, said he cultivated the mango saplings on 63 decimals of his paternal land a few days ago.

On Tuesday morning, he found the saplings felling when he went to look after them.

“I have no rivalry with anyone but why it happens to me”, lamented Habibur.

At night, he filed a complaint with Pirganj police station against some unidentified people in this connection, said OC Md Akhtaruzzaman Prodhan.