The picture shows the original statue of the farmer at 'Krishan Chattar' (left) and its vandalised figure (right) at Chalbond in Biswambharpur upazila of Sunamganj district-FE photos SYLHET, Feb 13: The authorities have not yet taken any visible steps to repair the 'Krishan Chattar' statue in Biswambharpur upazila headquarters of Sunamganj district even a week after its vandalism by miscreants.
It is the statue of a model farmer with a sickle and a plough on his shoulder standing at Chalbond crossroad, on the Sunamganj-Biswambharpur Road.
It is located about 13 kilometres away from the upazila town.
The 'Kishan Chatter' statue stands near Shishu Park (children's park) where there are statues of horse, deer and giraffe, Tom & Jerry, Mickey Mouse etc.
Two statues of two children with reels on their hands are there too for children. All these are three albeit damaged now.
These figures were built several years ago in the remote area by the then upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) with intent to present vivid pictures of rural tradition and culture, agriculture and to display an image of a typical farmer before eyes of the common children.
People passing through the road would take rest and often take pictures of the nicely decorated structures and their surroundings; but to an utter surprise of all, the structures were vandalised by about one hundred miscreants at the dark of night. The site with various structures was formally inaugurated on February 22, 2022.
A number of locals like motorbike mechanic Anwar Hossain said some people all of a sudden came to the area and carried out the vandalism on the last Friday night.
While vandalising the farmer's statue with hammers, they chanted slogans against the ousted Prime Minster, Sheikh Hasina, and others, witnesses said.
"The site is a unique place with beautiful structures for our upazila. Vandals didn't do the right thing by damaging those. The objects didn't belong to a political party. The farmer's statue holds much significance," said Anwar.
"About a hundred people were there during the vandalism. It was about 1:30am, when none of the local people could see the happening," said shopkeeper Mainuddin.
'We found all the statues damaged in the morning, none of the locals were there," said rickshaw-puller Zaher Mia.
"Former UNO Sadid-ur-Rahim ventured into it (developing the site) to highlight the farmers' life and activities," said journalist Swapon Kumar Barman.
It is just near vast Korchar haor and very close to the Upazila Parishad office, Haor View Café and Haor Bilash as well.
Besides, the man constructed many other important structures in the remote upazila, which stands on the Meghalaya foothills.
Referring to the vandalism, former upazila parishad chairman Harun ur Rashid said it is a sad incident. Most of the people of Biswambharpur are farmers. It was an important structure carrying much significance for them.
Anti-Discrimination Student Movement's district convener Imon Ud Doza said vandalising the Shishu Park structures were not right. None of the student agitators were involved in the incident, he claimed.
Contacted, UNO Mofizur Rahman told this correspondent, 'We would take next course of action after discussing the matter at the upazila parishad meeting. We would try to repair the structures soon, he added.
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