More than 50 indigenous farmers in Deopara union of Rajshahi say they are held hostage by a pump operator. They have to go back day after day, but water comes if they pay extra, and they also allege class discrimination. The Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) says it will act if it receives a specific complaint.

At least 200 farmers irrigate 250 bighas of land from the deep tube well in Barshapara village of Godagari upazila, Rajshahi. Of them, 56 are local indigenous farmers.

The indigenous farmers say class discrimination has always deprived them of their rightful due, and the local pump operator is exploiting this to hold them hostage. They allege that simply because they are indigenous, they do not get water on time even after paying.

Indigenous farmer Rani Debi said: "They don't want to give us water. Because we are indigenous, they always look down on us. We have our own cards, and we irrigate with those cards. The operator sells water at a higher price to those outside this deep tube well's command area. He keeps us waiting, saying he will give it to us."

Another indigenous farmer, Anil Marandi, said: "If a pipe bursts even a little, we have to pay. They take Tk 30 each when a pipe bursts. If there are 30 such farmers, that comes to Tk 9,000. How much does it cost to repair a pipe?"

"We are not given water properly because of our ethnicity. We want a remedy. Our food for the whole year depends on this paddy. If we are oppressed like this, it makes us want to die," he said.

Pump operator Hashem Ali denied all the allegations. "There is no system at the Barind office for repairing pipes. I repaired it, and that is what I took Tk 20,000–25,000 for. I give water by the proper rules. There is no complaint," he said.

The BMDA authorities said legal action would be taken if they received any specific allegation against operators.

BMDA Executive Director Md Abdur Rashid said: "We are investigating. If the allegations against the operator are proved, action will be taken."

Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ahmed said any negligence by the operator would come out in the investigation, and action would be taken if negligence was found.

He said that alongside motivational programmes to end class discrimination, the administration is working to protect the rights of indigenous people, and the district administration will help these farmers if they need anything.

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