Friday | 10 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Friday | 10 January 2025 | Epaper

Pond-digging damaging agri-land continues in Rajshahi

Published : Wednesday, 7 August, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 145
Rafiqul Hasan Firoz
RAJSHAHI, Aug 5: Thousands of acre of agriculture lands in Durgapur Upazila of the district are turning un-arable and abandoned due to unabated pond-digging.

Surrounding a dug pond huge size of agriculture lands is turning abandoned. 

According to local farmers, due to non-stop pond-digging, the size of agricultural lands has been half in the upazila.

If the current trend continues such way, once there will remain no agriculture land in the upazila. 

At present, in the shadowy influence of the power party, pond-digging is taking place on about 300 bighas of land in a beel of Ujalkholsir area at No. 2 Kishmat Gonkoir Union in the upazila. 

field sources said, there is involvement of minister and MP in the pond-digging. 

Taherpur Pourasabha Councillor Kartik Shah is manager of the pond-digging project. His associate is Councillor Ershad. Gonkoir Union chairman is also involved.  By slaughtering a goat, the pond-digging was inaugurated. 

Since the opening, 10-12 excavators have been carrying out digging work; cadre-striking forces are deployed on the pond bank with arms. 

Local farmers said, most farmers did not give land for pond-digging willingly. At the gun point through the cadre forces, their lands were taken away. 

If not agreed, the cadre forces set fire to excavators and passing the blame on general people.

They said, State Minister of Rural Development and Cooperative Abdul Wadud Dara, MP (Durgapur-Puthia) declared no pond be dug in Durgapur-Puthia; now pond-digging is going on, but he is not taking any step.

Rather, he is persuading the pond-digging, they alleged.

Another local Mostak is also digging a pond on about 50 bighas of land in a beel of Ratugram Village at the same union. Due to this pond-digging, about 500 bighas of land are turning un-arable; water stagnation is created around the pond-digging project. 

Taherpur Pourasabha Juba League (JL) leader Sohel Rana is digging several ponds in Aroiler beel in the upazila; at present, digging of two ponds is taking place.

That JL leader is known as land grabber locally. 

Despite complaining against him time and again, farmers are getting no remedy.

Due to pond-digging, the agricultural land has been almost zero in the beel. 

According to field sources, by managing the upazila administration and few local journalists at a big amount of money, they are carrying out pond-digging works.  

Deputy Commissioner (DC) asked upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) and Assistant Commissioner (AC-Land) for conducting campaign to stop the pond-digging; but the campaign is running in an eyewash manner. 

AC-Land-Durgapur Suman Chowdhury said, "We seized excavators by conducting campaign; besides, the accused are fined."

 "We are asked to conduct campaign and we are conducting. I don't know why it is not stopping," he added.

Despite repeated attempt over phone, UNO Swikriti Pramanik was not available for his comment in this regard. 

Additional DC (Revenue) Sarkar Asim Kumar said, "We are in favour of stopping pond digging; but we don't know why farmers are not giving written complaint; despite that our campaign is continuing; we see the matter."



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