Farmers in the Sutang area of Shayestaganj upazila in Habiganj are at their wits' end over wild boars. For the past four to five months, herds of boars have been eating up the ripe paddy in one field after another. To keep them away, farmers keep torches burning in every field at night.

When night falls, the boars come down from the hills in groups looking for food, raiding sometimes the paddy fields and sometimes the villages. The problem is worst in Surabai, Purasunda and Ladia villages of Shayestaganj upazila.

Besides ripe paddy, the boars are also destroying new bamboo shoots and various other crops. Children in the villages are too frightened of the animals to leave their homes. Often, when the boars find no food in the fields, they even try to get into people's houses in the dark of night.

Abdur Rahim Jajum of Surabai village said in despair: "Wild boars are very ferocious animals. We see no way to protect ourselves from them."

Md Tawhid Mia of the same village said: "Because there are hills right next to the village, their numbers have grown a lot. We are living in fear because of them. They destroyed the ripe paddy on my two acres of land. The boars even finished off the rice straw."

Enquiries found that the boars have damaged ripe paddy on at least 50 acres in the Sutang area. Locals fear they will go hungry if this continues.

About eight to 10 years ago, boars raided Surabai village once before, and one was shot dead with the help of the army. Some locals think the boars raid the villages because food is short in the hills; others think it has simply become a habit. Unless the authorities act quickly, ordinary people will suffer even more.

Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, the district forest officer (DFO) of the Habiganj forest department holding additional charge, said the boars may be raiding because food in the forest has declined. They have to be scared off by beating drums, he said, adding that the government has instructions to protect these animals.

The DFO said the range officer would nevertheless be asked to raise awareness among local people.

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