OUR CORRESPONDENT, Patuakhali

A section of influential locals has grabbed a canal in Barguna’s Amtali upazila and has been using it as a fish enclosure, obstructing the natural water flow.

Gamrbunia canal is situated in Tarikata village of Arpangashia union in the upazila.

Villagers aren’t allowed to bath, use the water for irrigation and household purposes, locals said.

Local sources said that Gamrabunia canal covers ​​28 acres of land from Tarikata bazar to Gamrabunia flood control dyke.

Shahidul Islam of Tarikata village along with Hafizur Rahman, ChunnuTalukder and Md Hai Talukdar took a lease of seven acres of land of the canal for three years in 2019 to cultivate fish on the canal.

However, local influential Mezbah Uddin Faisal Talukder and Arifur Rahman Talukder of Tarikata village are cultivating fish by occupying the remaining 21 acres of the canal without taking lease.

They have built enclosures at seven places on the canal for fish farming. The grabbers are not allowing about 5,000 people from Tarikata, Islampur and Gambarbunia villages to use the canal waters for bathing or irrigation purposes.

Around 5,000 farmers of the villages depend on the canal water for the production of various crops including Boro and Aman paddy. But the grabbers do not allow the farmers to use the water of this canal for irrigation.

Sultan Ghazi, a farmer of Tarikata village, said local influential persons including Shahidul Islam Gazi, Hafizur Rahman Chunnu Talukder, Md Hai Talukder, Mezbah Uddin Faisal Talukder and Arif Talukdar are cultivating fish in Gamrbunia canal. No one can go to the canal for fearing them. Nobody can use the water for irrigation as well.

If anyone protests, they harass them with various lawsuits, said Sultan.

Contacted, Shahidul Islam Gazi said they took a lease of seven acres of the canal for three years in 2019. Their tenure of the contract will expire this year.

However, he denied the allegations that the villagers were being barred from using the canal water.

Mezbah Uddin Faisal Talukder, an occupier, said no one was being barred from using the canal water.

Replying to a query that how they are cultivating fish without taking a lease he said they have applied for a lease.

Jasim Uddin, a local union parishad (UP) member, said local influential people have been cultivating fish in Gamrbunia canal obstructing the natural flow of water.

He demanded that fish cultivation be immediately stopped and the canal be freed for the villagers.

Soheli Parveen, the chairman of Arpangasia UP, demanded that the local administration take necessary steps to open the canal.

Amtali Upazila Fisheries Officer Halima Sardar said seven acres of the canal have been leased out for three years. The remaining 21 acres have not been leased yet.

Meanwhile, Amtali upazila administration formed a probe body headed by CM Rezaul Karim, upazila agriculture officer, on January 27.

The probe body has been asked to submit its report within seven working days.

Rezaul Karim said, “I am trying my best to submit a report in time after proper investigation.”

A group of local influential people have grabbed Gamrbunia canal in Barguna’s Amtali upazila depriving villagers of irrigation facility.

PHOTO: STAR