Criminals damage Tk 3 lakh crops in Pabna

A gang of criminals backed by a section of influential encroachers have destroyed banana plants and other crops on 5.92 acres of land in Char Bhobanipur area under Hemayetpur union of Pabna Sadar upazila.

However, alleged encroachers—Pabna Awami League (AL) agriculture affairs secretary Abdul Bari Baki and Alauddin Malitha, chairman of Hemayetpur union parishad (UP),—claimed that the farmers are the illegal occupiers of the land.

Md Jamal Pramanik, one of the affected farmers, filed a complaint with Sadar Police Station in this regard on Friday.

Police were investigating the incident, said Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station Nasim Ahmed.

Farmers of Char Bhobanipur village said they have purchased the land in the char area from previous owners. They are giving khajna (tax) for the land every year. Asked about the tax payment receipt of the land, the farmers showed journalists the receipt.

Recently, the AL leader and UP chairman claimed that it is their inherited land.

Jamal Pramanik said the farmers have been cultivating the land for the last six decades. They have been giving tax for the land to government every year

They have already given tax of the current year, he said.

A few farmers in the village have cultivated banana plants and maskalai (winter crop) on 5.92 acres of land this year.

A group of criminals backed by the influential encroachers damaged Tk 3 lakh crops on the land on November 3, Jamal alleged.

Contacted, the AL leader denied allegation of damaging the crops.

"We did not damage the crop. Rather, a group of farmers are cultivating crops on the land illegally because this land is our inherited property," Baki said.

The UP chairman said this is a disputed land.

He added that the farmers are the illegal occupiers of the land. They are not the owner of these lands but they are cultivating crops there for the last several years.

Meanwhile, the AL leader and chairman at a press conference at Pabna Press Club yesterday said the farmers are giving tax for the land every year as they mistakenly got the land record.

A land record amendment case was filed in this regard, said the UP chairman.