Local people in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi had planted palm trees along the roadside. The mango trees of an Awami League leader were not growing well in the shade of those trees. That leader is now accused of poisoning the public's palm trees to save his own mango trees. Locals allege he has poisoned at least 50 palm trees, but because he is influential, no one has protested.

The accused Awami League leader is Shahriar Alam, senior vice-president of the Shubhodanga union Awami League in Bagmara. He is also a teacher at Karkhanda Dakhil Madrasa. Locals said he has been killing the roadside palm trees in the upazila's Baigachha area to make sure his own mango trees grow quickly.

Locals said Shahriar Alam dug a pond on about 27 bighas of farmland six months ago in the Baigachha area beside Bagmara's Mathabhanga-Hatgangopara road. Two months ago he planted mango trees of various varieties beside the pond. About 12 years ago, several people from the area had planted rows of palm trees along that road. Because of the shade of the palm trees, Shahriar's mango trees are not growing properly. So for some days, locals said, Shahriar Alam has been cutting the bark of the palm trees and applying a liquid, something like pesticide, as a result of which the trees' leaves are drying and the trees have started to die.

A local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some villagers had complained earlier when he was digging the pond, and he humiliated them in various ways. So, out of fear, no one is protesting.

He added that only the trees next to Shahriar's mango trees are being poisoned, and no other nearby trees. "This shows he is poisoning the trees we all planted just to make his own trees grow," he said.

Contacted by mobile phone, Shahriar Alam said: "I don't know who is doing this. The villagers may be lying. I know nothing about this."

Asked why the poisoning was only on the trees by his pond and nowhere else, he said: "I know nothing about any of this. If trees by my pond have been poisoned, go and see for yourself. I can't say anything." He then hung up.

Abdul Hakim, president of the Shubhodanga union Awami League, said locals had phoned him about the palm trees being killed. Poisoning palm trees is a very bad thing, he said, but no one has made a complaint.

Khalilur Rahman, the upazila engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), said the road belongs to LGED. The palm trees were planted there long ago, and he does not know who planted them.

"No matter who planted a tree, it cannot be damaged, killed or cut down. Nobody can do that," he said. "Someone told me about the palm trees being killed and showed me some pictures, but nobody has complained. If anyone files a written complaint, the necessary action will be taken."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.