Cattle lifting incidents rise alarmingly in Rangpur upazilas

Our Correspondent | Published: May 05, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

RANGPUR, May 4: Cattle-lifting incidents have increased alarmingly at different upazilas in Rangpur district, much to the worry of the cattle owners.
Sources alleged that a number of cattle-lifters blessed by the locally influential people and law enforcing agencies are committing the incidents freely and as a result the poor farmers of the district are facing serious financial problems.
According to sources, during the last 20 days at least 120 cattle were lifted by the organised gangs across the district.
Of those 30 cattle were lifted from Pirganj Upazila, 25 from Badarganj while 10 cattle from Gangachara, 20 from Mithapukur, 10 from Taraganj, 15 from Pirgachha and 10 from Kawnia Upazila.
A number of farmers who lost their cattle have become frustrated as they are finding no alternative to cover their losses.
Osman Ali (45), a leading farmer of Laldighi Bazar area under Pirganj Upazila said all his four bullocks were lifted on Friday night which cost more than Tk 0.15 million. Now it is quite difficult for him to till his land without his own cattle.
Meanwhile, a number of affected farmers alleged that in some cases the miscreants return the stolen cattle to its owners on payment of ransom. They also alleged that they are not interested to go to police station to lodge complaints as the police never visit the places of occurrences and do not take strict action in this regard.
Popularity of eco-friendly
'Bandhu Chula' stressed
A BSS report says: Speakers at a discussion here have stressed popularising the use of eco-friendly and fuel saving cooking furnace 'Bandhu Chula' to save huge firewood and improve public health and environment.
They were addressing a pre-rally discussion jointly organised by the Department of Environment (DoE) under assistances of German Development Cooperation (GIZ) in front of the office of deputy commissioner (DC) here on Saturday. The programme was arranged to celebrate the setting up of over 500,000 'Bandhu Chula' so far at household level and enhance the use of cooking furnace throughout the country.