Herbicide attack over alleged enmity damages eggplant crops on 42 decimals in Khetlal

Three farming families had hoped for a good eggplant harvest as their plants began bearing fruit. Those hopes have now turned to anxiety following allegations that miscreants sprayed herbicide on their fields under cover of darkness in Borotara village of Joypurhat’s Khetlal upazila. The affected farmers said crops on about 42 decimals of land had been damaged.

A visit to the fields around 10am on Tuesday (October 27) revealed the damage to the eggplant plants.

The affected plots belong to local farmers Md Mamunur Rashid, Amzad Hossain and Abu Hena’s wife, Zulekha Begum. They alleged that miscreants sprayed a paraquat-type herbicide on the plants sometime during the night over a longstanding enmity.

The damaged crops cover 12 decimals belonging to Mamunur Rashid, 20 decimals belonging to Amzad Hossain and 10 decimals belonging to Abu Hena and Zulekha Begum. The farmers are deeply distressed at the prospect of losing the money, labour and time they invested in growing the crops.

Mamunur Rashid said he had cultivated eggplants on 12 decimals of land, spending considerable labour and money on tending and growing the crop. His entire crop now faces damage after unidentified people applied poison to the plants during the night, he said.

Amzad Hossain said he had grown eggplants on 20 decimals and expected a good harvest as the plants had begun bearing fruit. He returned home after irrigating the field, only to find the plants wilting when he went back the next morning. He later realised that poison had been applied. Despite his efforts, he has been unable to save the plants, he said. He called for an impartial investigation to identify those responsible.

Zulekha Begum said the eggplant plants on their 10 decimals had suffered similar damage. Her family also faces financial losses from the destruction of the crop.

Sub-assistant agriculture officer Abhijit Dutta visited the damaged fields. He said the farmers had received the necessary advice and assurances of assistance through the agriculture office.

Expressing anger over the incident, local resident Saharul Islam said destroying farmers’ crops was highly condemnable. He called for a proper investigation to identify those involved and take legal action against them.

Khetlal Police Station Officer-in-Charge Muktarul Alam said police had learned of the allegations that poison had been applied to the farmers’ crops. They would investigate and take necessary legal action upon receiving a written complaint, he said.

Local residents called for a proper investigation and support for the affected farmers to help safeguard the labour and investment they put into crop production.