Follow the Google News feed to get the latest news from The Daily Tribunal
Saud Talukder, Kalai (Joypurhat)
Local Ward Awami League President Shahidul Islam has been accused of poisoning fish to death to take possession of a pond leased by fishermen in the Biala area of Matrai Union in Kalai Upazila of the district on Wednesday morning.
On the contrary, following the filing of a complaint, the police arrested two fishermen Yakub Ali and Abdul Alim of Biala Village. Later, the Awami League leader took away the fish worth about Tk 30 lakh from the pond.
According to the sources of the Dhunat Fishermen’s Cooperative Society of the upazila, the 3.89-acre pond was taken lease by the fishermen for three Bengali years from 1429-1431. On October 10, 2022, the Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) gave DCR to the society. After that, Bulbul Ahmed, son of Jaibar Ali of Biala Village, was given the responsibility of taking care of the pond. Since then, Awami League leader Shahidul Islam tried to take possession of that pond with the help of Matrai UP Chairman and District Awami League Organizing Secretary Shawkat Habib Talukder Logic.
Last August 18 morning, Shahidul along with his people and the UP chairman went fishing in that pond. As the situation became tense, the police went to the spot and normalized the condition.
Without settling the matter, Shahidul poisoned the fish in the pond on Wednesday morning, and after that, following the filing of a complaint by him, the police arrested the two fishermen.
Mahiruddin, president of Dhunat Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, said, “Following the poisoning of the fish in the pond, we suffered about Tk 30 lakh loss.”
In this connection, Awami League leader Shahidul said, “I have taken the responsibility of maintenance of the pond from the interim president of that association. I did not poison the fish rather the fishermen did. So I filed the complaint.” However, the former interim president of the association Abdus Sattar denied giving Shahidul the responsibility.
When contacted on the mobile phone, Shawkat Habib Talukder Logic, Matrai UP chairman hung up saying, “I am in a meeting at the DC office, and I will talk later.”
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kalai Police Station Wasim Al Bari said that they arrested two people over the poisoning of the pond.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jannat Ara Tithi said, “I did not ask anyone to catch fish. Rather, I asked both parties to compromise. And after learning about today’s incident, I asked the OC to take immediate action.”