In Kushtia’s Khoksa upazila, growing Chaitali crops including onion and garlic are being stolen from the field in the middle of the night. Therefore, farmers being panicked are being forced to stand guard to protect their crops. The cultivation of Chaitali crop, onion-garlic has increased at a huge rate in the upazila. According to the District Agricultural Department, onion seedlings have been planted on about 2,750 acres of land in the Upazila which is several times higher than the target.
Theft of onion and garlic has increased in Shimulia, Jayantihajra, Shomaspur, Janipur and Osmanpur unions of the Upazila. So, the farmers of these areas have already started guarding the crops at night.
Victim farmers of Shimulia and Jayantihajra unions said they did not have the courage to lodge a complaint with the police as the gangs behind the theft are powerful.
Recently, visiting several Beels and fields including Soibadar Beel of Jhalukadaha Dangipara and Pathaldaur villages and talking to the farmers it was found that in Soibadar Beel alone, onion and garlic have been planted on about 200 acres of land. The miscreants are steeling the onion and garlic from this field in the dark of night. So many farmers have started picking the crops from the land before it is ripe.
Local farmer Akram Hossain said he was about to pick onions from his field within the next 15 days, but on Wednesday night, the miscreants took away about 15 mounds of onions from one of his lands. He did not dare to lodge a complaint with the police as the thieves were influential. The miscreants stole about 20 mounds of onion of another farmer named Farhad from the same field. Shaheb Ali, a farmer of Pathaldaur field said, miscreants took away about 5 to 6 mounds of onion from his land recently. The miscreants also stole garlic of about 10 Katha land of farmers Helal and Seken Ali from the field.
Officer-in-Charge of the Khoksha Police Station Kamruzzaman Talukder said he would take immediate action if any of the victim farmers lodge a complaint.