Criminals torch betel garden in Satkhira
Cut down 46 guava trees in Natore
Criminals torched a betel leaf plantation at Saihati village in Kaliganj upazila of the district on Wednesday night.
Witnesses said a gang of unidentified criminals entered the garden owned by Joydev Kumar Debnath at around 11:30 pm and set fire to it. Betel leaves worth about Tk 5 lakh were destroyed by the fire, locals said.
Being informed, fire fighters from Kaliganj upazila headquarters reached the spot and extinguished the blaze with the help of villagers.
Contacted, Joydev Kumar said he leased one bigha of land from a villager for Tk 8,000 and cultivated betel on it. Some local influential people might have hand behind this heinous act, he alleged.
Joydev said he took Tk 3 lakh in loan from a Krishi Bank branch and a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to cultivate betel.
"How shall I repay the loan?” said Joydev, adding that he has no other alternative to maintain his four-member family.
AKM Ali Nur, officer-in-charge of Kaliganj Police Station, said they are looking for the culprits involved.
Our Natore correspondent adds: Forty-six guava trees were felled by unknown criminals at Paikpara village in Natore Sadar upazila the same night.
“I planted 46 guava trees on a land at my village home at Paikpara village two years ago. An unidentified gang cut down the trees when they were yielding fruit," said Saidur Rahman Fitar, Gurudaspur upazila primary education officer.
No case in connection with the incident was filed with Natore Sadar Police Station as of 5:00pm yesterday.
Abdullah Al Mamun, officer-in-charge of the police station, said they will go for action on receipt of a complaint from the affected person.
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