Agri-officials, journos attacked during fertiliser raid in Gaibandha

GAIBANDHA, Oct 1: Agriculture officials and journalists were allegedly attacked by a mob while conducting a raid to recover illegally stockpiled fertiliser at Kamarjani Bazar in Sadar Upazila of Gaibandha on Tuesday night.

The incident took place around 11:30pm at Kamarjani Bazar in Kamarjani Union.

Acting on allegations that pesticide trader Sanowar Munshi had illegally stockpiled 400 sacks of urea fertiliser at his shop, a team from the district agriculture office conducted the raid led by Deputy Director Asaduzzaman and Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Rakibul Alam.

During the raid, officials found a stock of urea fertiliser at Sanowar's warehouse. At one point during questioning, a group allegedly led by his younger brother Jahangir Alam attacked the agriculture officials and journalists.

Deputy Director Asaduzzaman, Upazila Agriculture Officer Rakibul Alam, a reporter and cameraman of Somoy Television, and five local journalists were allegedly assaulted, harassed and confined at the scene.

On receiving the information, Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Nazmus Shahadat Fahim and members of law enforcement went to the spot and rescued the officials and journalists.

Later, 150 sacks of illegally stockpiled urea were seized from the warehouse. The warehouse owner, Sanowar Munshi, was fined Tk 5,000.

Earlier in the afternoon, 83 sacks of fertiliser were found at the house of Aminul, a retail fertiliser seller, in Kathihara area of Ghagoa Union in Sadar upazila.