20 new power tillers seized on way to 'black market'
Local farmers seized a truck loaded with 20 new power tillers and caught three people from Amkhola Bazar in Galachipa upazila under the district as the machines, meant for free distribution among farmers, were allegedly being sent to the black market on Sunday evening.
The truck, tillers and three people -- Fayezur Rahman, 40, driver of the truck, its helper Babul, 30, and Zaman, 28, a mechanic of ACI Motors, were handed over to Galachipa police the same night.
The three arrestees hail from Chittagong and ACI Motors is a Chittagong-based handling organisation.
The 20 new power tillers, loaded in the truck from Chittagong port, were sent to Galachipa upazila agriculture office for free distribution among local farmers under a project run by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, police said.
The loaded truck reached Galachipa on Saturday evening but it left Galachipa without unloading the tillers, they said.
Local farmers somehow came to know of the matter and seized the truck and caught three people when the vehicle reached Amkhola Bazar on Sunday evening.
Later they informed Galachipa police who brought the loaded truck and three people to the police station in Galachipa town at midnight.
Police seized from truck driver Fayezur Rahman a chalan (receipt) issued by Active Transport Silver Syndicate of 149, DT East Madarbari in Chittagong. The receipt was issued to Galachipa upazila agriculture officer but there was no signature of any authority on it.
Fayezur Rahman told police that a person who identified himself as an official of upazila agriculture office and Zaman, mechanic for ACI Motors, suggested him to left Galachipa without unloading the tillers.
Zaman, on the other hand, said he did not know anything about the matter.
"We seized the truck and arrested three people. We suspect that these tillers were sent to the black market for sale. Investigation will reveal the fact," said Shah Alam, assistant sub inspector of Galachipa police station.
Ziaul Haque, OC of Galachipa police station, said proper step will be taken after investigation.
In presence of police several hundred local farmers brought out a procession at Amkhola Bazar demanding punishment to the culprits involved in the matter.
Galachipa Upazila Agriculture Officer Fazlur Rahman said they sent the truck to the store room of Patuakhali district office to keep the tillers there.
Abdur Rashid Dhalee, a farmer of Amkhola village, however, said there are enough places in the upazila town to keep the tillers.
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