Bangladesh

Govt canal grabbed for fish farming

A canal of Bangladesh Water Development Board has allegedly been encroached by a local influential in Kurigram's Rajarhat upazila for fish farming.

The canal, which flows along a rail link in Nakhenda area of Gharialdanga union, flows into the Teesta river and serves as a source of water for irrigation for the area's more than 1,000 acres of agricultural lands, as well as draining away excess water to the river.

According to local farmers, one Altaf Hossain, a relative of former Kurigram-2 lawmaker Hamidul Haque Khandkar, grabbed the canal by using his influence and filled up a portion of it to raise the canal's banks to build fish enclosures, thereby restricting the canal's water flow. This in turn caused waterlogging in the adjacent croplands.

"Despite repeated complaints to different concerned departments, no step has yet been taken against Altaf. Those who protested the canal's grabbing were assaulted and threatened by Altaf's men. We are unable to cultivate our lands due to waterlogging caused by the restricted flow of the canal," said Sarwar Bapari, a local farmer.

"If the canal is not freed from grabbing and its flow is not restored, all our arable lands will eventually become fallow," he added.

Contacted, Altaf claimed that he has been farming fish on his own land and did not grab the canal.

Contacted, Rakibul Hasan, executive engineer of BWDB in Kurigram, said they are aware of the matter.

"A drive will be carried out soon to evict the grabber of the canal and legal steps will be taken against him. A letter has been sent to higher authorities in this regard," he added.

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Govt canal grabbed for fish farming

A canal of Bangladesh Water Development Board has allegedly been encroached by a local influential in Kurigram's Rajarhat upazila for fish farming.

The canal, which flows along a rail link in Nakhenda area of Gharialdanga union, flows into the Teesta river and serves as a source of water for irrigation for the area's more than 1,000 acres of agricultural lands, as well as draining away excess water to the river.

According to local farmers, one Altaf Hossain, a relative of former Kurigram-2 lawmaker Hamidul Haque Khandkar, grabbed the canal by using his influence and filled up a portion of it to raise the canal's banks to build fish enclosures, thereby restricting the canal's water flow. This in turn caused waterlogging in the adjacent croplands.

"Despite repeated complaints to different concerned departments, no step has yet been taken against Altaf. Those who protested the canal's grabbing were assaulted and threatened by Altaf's men. We are unable to cultivate our lands due to waterlogging caused by the restricted flow of the canal," said Sarwar Bapari, a local farmer.

"If the canal is not freed from grabbing and its flow is not restored, all our arable lands will eventually become fallow," he added.

Contacted, Altaf claimed that he has been farming fish on his own land and did not grab the canal.

Contacted, Rakibul Hasan, executive engineer of BWDB in Kurigram, said they are aware of the matter.

"A drive will be carried out soon to evict the grabber of the canal and legal steps will be taken against him. A letter has been sent to higher authorities in this regard," he added.

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