Ripe paddy on 52 decimals of land is going to waste in the field in Sarishabari, Jamalpur, because of a land dispute. An innocent farmer and the landowner were seriously injured in an attack by the opposing side when they went to harvest it.
The injured were admitted to the Sarishabari Upazila Health Complex at noon on Monday 27 November. Among them, Shafiqul Islam (42) is in a serious condition. The incident took place that morning in Korgram village of Mahadan union in the upazila.
Mortgaged land and a threat of seizure
According to local and family sources, Shafiqul Islam, son of Nazim Uddin of Korgram, had taken 52 decimals of land belonging to Ataur Rahman Lovelu (45), son of the late Iyad Ali of the same village, on a contract (mortgage) basis and grown paddy on it. Ataur Rahman's brothers Abdullahel Kafi (60) and Abdullahel Baki had been threatening to seize the land by force. Although the paddy had ripened, it could not be harvested out of fear and was on the verge of spoiling.
On Monday morning Shafiqul Islam went to harvest the paddy. Abdullahel Kafi and Abdullahel Baki then launched a sudden attack with an organised group armed with local weapons. He was seriously injured, and family members rescued him and admitted him to the upazila health complex.
What each side says
Landowner Ataur Rahman told Jago News that the brothers had long been trying to take the land by force. Shafiqul Islam was seriously injured when he went to cut the ripe paddy, and when Ataur ran over on hearing his screams he was beaten too. He said the attackers also raided their houses, vandalised them and looted cash and gold jewellery.
Shafiqul Islam said the attackers were known troublemakers in the area. Even though the paddy has been cut, it cannot be brought home for fear of them, so it is rotting in the field. Preparations are under way to file a case at the police station.
The accused, Abdullahel Kafi, said the land is theirs. The paddy had been planted in defiance of their objection, so they stopped it from being harvested.
Mushfiqur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sarishabari police station, said police had visited the scene but had not yet received a complaint. If a written complaint is received, it will be investigated and legal action taken.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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