In defiance of government directives, an attack, looting, and arson were allegedly carried out on a fish enclosure under the leadership of a Jamaat-e-Islami leader in Satkhira, involving the cutting of a Water Development Board (WAPDA) embankment and installation of PVC pipes.
During the incident, a large quantity of fruit trees along aisles of the fish enclosure were also chopped down and destroyed. The incident occurred on Sunday night in Bagdanga village under Dhulihar Union of Satkhira Sadar Upazila.
The affected fish enclosure owner, Zainal Abedin from Bagdanga village, said he has been farming fish for over 30 years on his eight bighas of ancestral land.
Recently, Abdus Sabur, assistant secretary of Satkhira District Jamaat-e-Islami, cast his eyes on the enclosure and had been making persistent attempts to occupy it for a long time.
Zainal Abedin further said that there is no waterlogging in their area.
Despite this, using the pretext of waterlogging, Jamaat leader Abdus Sabur, along with his nephews Ruhul Amin, Mostafizur Rahman, Ruhul Kuddus, Abdur Razzak, and Abul Hossain, led a group of armed miscreants in launching an attack and looting his fish enclosure under cover of night.
Not stopping at that, they set fire to his enclosure and chopped down various species of fruit trees, including mango and papaya, situated on the aisles. When Zainal attempted to obstruct them, they issued death threats against him.
He said he suffered an estimated financial loss of Tk10 lakh.
Meanwhile, to ensure that no individual or general public suffers damage or loss at the site, Executive Engineer of Satkhira Water Development Board, Abdur Rahman Tazkia, had issued an order on Sunday directing that no culvert or PVC pipe be constructed there.
However, Jamaat leader Sabur and his men defied the government order, used an excavator machine to cut WAPDA embankment, illegally installed PVC pipes, and covered them with soil.
Omar Faruk, brother of the victim Zainal Abedin, said such rampage and looting in the dead of night had never been witnessed before.
His brother had attempted to protect the fish in the enclosure, but the miscreants gave him no opportunity to do so. In a single night, his life savings were destroyed, leaving him completely destitute.
He demanded that the administration and law enforcement agencies swiftly arrest those involved in this heinous looting and arson and ensure exemplary punishment.
When contacted regarding the allegations, Jamaat leader Abdus Sabur denied the claims brought against him. He admitted to being present at the spot, but claimed he was unaware of who carried out the looting or vandalism.
He added that he could not say what transpired behind him after he departed from the scene.
