A total of 1,060 farmers have been facing certificate cases for nonpayment of outstanding agricultural loan in four upazilas of Rajbari.

Official sources said, four nationalised commercial banks including Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) filed the cases against the defaulters to realise outstanding loan amounting to Tk. 235.27 lakh.

Most of the farmers who failed to repay their loan have been hiding fearing police action following the cases. Because of this phenomenon family members of fleeing farmers face acute economic hardship.

In Rajbari Sadar upazila, 562 certificate cases have been lodged by the four banks to recover outstanding loan of Tk. 98.04 lakh.

In Pangsha upazila, 208 certifi-

cates cases have been lodged to realise Tk. 53.01 lakh from defaulters. In Gualondo upazila, 41 certificate cases have been lodged to realise Tk. 8.56 lakh and in Baliakandi upazila, 249 certificate cases have been lodged to realise Tk. 95.66 lakh.

Defaulting farmers said that they had failed to repay their loan as they could not achieve the production target of their produce due to price-hike of seeds, pesticide and fertiliser.

Talking to BSS an accused of a certificate case, Moslem Ali, said he had taken a loan of Tk 2,000 only a few years ago, which now stood at 7,500 including interest. Fearing arrest he has been fleeing.

Nuru Mia, another accused at village Kalibari in Sadar upazila said that he had taken Tk 5,000 as farm-loan but he spent the money for his wife's treatment.