Rangpur Sugar Mills authorities in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha are selling fish of seven ponds cultivated by the Santals evicted from Sahebganj-Bagda farmland in November 2016.
Many evicted Santal men claimed that they cultivated paddy on 140 acres of land and about 63 maunds of different varieties of fish spawns in seven ponds inside the farm area in July 2016.
[Kuamara pond at Sahebganj-Bagda farmland in Gobindagani upazila of Gainbandha. Rangpur Sugar Mills authorities are now selling fish from the pond and six others, where members of the Santal community cultivated fish in 2016. The photo was taken a few days ago. Photo: Mostafa Shabuj]
Since their eviction from the Sahebganj Bagda farmland, Santal people have set up some makeshift houses in nearby areas and had been demanding their land back from the mill authorities.
According to East Bengal Emergency Requisition Land Act 1948, if the requisitioned land is not used for the purpose (sugar cultivation) the authorities concerned should return the land to its rightful owners.
In the face of tougher agitation and huge public outcry the mill authorities were later compelled to return the paddy cultivated on 140 acres of land.
“We cultivated 63 maunds of fish spawns in Kuamara, Chapgari, Shukanpukur, Bherbhera, Gaachulka, Harinmari and Bachhurmari ponds in July 2016. But the mill authorities are now selling the fish without our consent,” said Sufal Hembram of Joypurpara village.
“In the wee hours of April 30, the mill authorities sold some 80 to 90 maunds of fish from one of the seven ponds,” Ganesh Murmu of the village said, adding that after hearing the news acting upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) seized Tk 1, 95,000 earned from selling the fish.
Managing Director (MD) Anwar Hossain of Rangpur Sugar Mills said the sugar mill authorities cultivated the ponds through tender in 2016 and are now selling the fish through fresh tender.
The ponds and fish belong to the sugar mill, not the Santals, the MD added.
Meanwhile, the evicted Santals submitted a memorandum to Gaibandha Deputy Commissioner Gautam Chandra Pal urging him to take legal steps for returning the money, earned from selling the fish, to its original beneficiaries.
On November 6, 2016, three Santal men were killed and many others injured during an eviction drive at Sahebganj cane farm.
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