Kushtia: Miscreants cut down 200 aubergine plants and damaged garlic crops on 10 percent of a farmer’s land in Char Etmamapur village, Jaduboyra Union, Kushtia. They also reportedly stole a submersible pump valued at around Tk 18,000. The incident occurred Thursday night.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the affected farmer Abdul Latif Laifa Biswas, aged 61 and a former vice president of the Union Awami League, discovered the destruction on Friday morning. His farmland, located along the banks of the Gorai River, is home to banana, eggplant, onion, garlic, and other crops. Upon inspection, hundreds of eggplant plants were found cut and shredded, while garlic seedlings on a neighboring plot were also destroyed. Additionally, the irrigation pump was missing, and electrical wires were damaged. Local farmers quickly gathered at the site after hearing the news.
Latif stated that the destroyed crops would have produced 50-60 maunds of eggplant and approximately seven maunds of garlic. He estimated that he spent about Tk 10,000 on seedlings and cultivation, and the stolen submersible pump cost Tk 18,000, bringing his total loss to nearly Tk 100,000. Unfortunately, he could not identify the perpetrators.
An unnamed local farmer mentioned that the incident has left the community fearful, suggesting that outsiders might have targeted the fields to disrupt local peace. Jaduboyra Union Parishad Chairman, Mizanur Rahman, labeled the attack as heinous and advised the farmer to seek police assistance. Kushtia Police Inspector (Investigation), Amirul Islam, stated that legal action would be pursued once a written complaint is filed.