Hindus at who are poor depend on loans from relatives to feed the families while Muslim farmers are not getting workforce for harvesting paddy at Nasirnagar in Brahmanbaira.
Hindus, especially fishermen who lost their lone income source fishing net in the attacks on them on October 30, are virtually sitting idle since the attack. They are trying to arrange money to buy new fishing nets.
Local people said that most of the Muslim workforce, especially youths, went into hiding as the law enforcers were raiding places to arrest suspects in the attacks on Hindus at Nasirnagar upazila town and Haripur union.
They said that situation worsened as people from outside the upazila who used to work as daily labours during harvesting time were not coming to Nasirnagar villages fearing police harassment.
About 200 houses and business establishments and 22 temples of Hindus were vandalised and robbed during the attacks on Hindus at Nasirnagar upazila town and Haripur union on October 30.
The attacks came following two rallies organised by Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and Towhidi Janata of qoumi group backed by Hefajat-e-Islam demanding punishment of Hindu young fisherman from Harineber village Rasraj Das for allegedly sharing a doctored photo showing an idol set on the Kaaba on his Facebook wall on October 28.
In further attacks on the religious minorities, miscreants set fire to at least six houses of Hindus on November 4 and 5.
Bhanu Das, a fisherman at Kashipara, was found mending his damaged house on Wednesday. ‘I cannot go for fishing for 9-10 days as I have lost my fishing net,’ said Bhanu, adding that he used to earn Tk 400-500 a day fishing in ponds.
‘I have borrowed money from my relatives to meet the daily expense of the family and now I am looking for money to buy new fishing net,’ he said.
Bhanus and his neighbour Moti Lal Das also said that they had no work now and they were trying to get money to buy fishing nets.
‘I am looking for loan [micro credit] from ASA or Grammen Bank to buy fishing net,’ said Moti.
Bhanu and Moti said that each of them had received Tk 6,000 and two bundles of corrugated iron sheets from local administration.
According to local administration’s assessment, Bhanu incurred a loss of Tk 20,000 and Moti Tk 15,000 in the attacks.
Manik Lal, another fisherman at Sutradharpara, stated similar experience and said that he would need at
least Tk 8,000-10,000 to buy a new fishing net.
Rice was found ready for harvesting on vast areas of crop fields at Asorail, Datmandal and Noorpor villages on Thursday.
Nasirnagar upazila agriculture officer Anisuzzman said that farmers of the upazila had planted Broadcast Aman widely known as Ghuta Dhan at 10,000 hector and Transplanted Aman at 2,500 hector lands.
He said that this was the pick time for harvesting B Aman, as the harvesting began in late October and would continue till mid-November in the area and T Aman harvesting in the area would begin in mid-November.
‘If the famers cannot harvest the ripened crops soon, many rice would go to waste,’ he said.
If the farmers fail to find labours for harvesting the rice may go to waste worsening their positions, he added.
Dudh Mia and Suraj Mia, two brothers of Noorpur, said that rice already ripened in their fields. ‘We cannot harvest the rice as we do not have day labours,’ said Dudh Mia.
‘Most of the people who worked for us in the past went into hiding…Our joint family depend on this rice…I do not know what will happen,’ he said.
Abdur Rahman and Chan Mia of Datmandal echoed Dudh Miah.
‘Rice harvesting is happy time for a farmer but we are worried about harvesting,’ Abdur Rahman said.
– See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/2558/no-work-for-fishermen-no-labour-for-harvesting#sthash.iy9PFzvc.dpuf
Source: New Age
