Moneylenders fleece village people in B'baria
Friday, 17 August 2007
Our Correspondent
BRAHMANBARIA, Aug 16: Money lenders have been fleecing the share croppers and marginal farmers at remote villages under Sarail and Sadar Upazilas by charging abnormally high rate of interest against loan money.
Share croppers of village Chaturpur under Merashani Union Parishd said they had to borrow money from money lenders at a high rate of interest under compelling circumstances to cultivate their lands and meet other pressing needs.
We cannot protest against the high rate of interest being charged by the lenders as the latter wield much influence in the area, a borrower said.
One Abdur Rahman of Merashani UP has amassed wealth by lending money to the poor at high rates of interest.
He lends huge sums of money to the marginal farmers and share croppers during the IRRI-Boro season by taking their thumb impression on TK 50 stamps.
Md. Rakib Miah, an inhabitant of Sarail, said he borrowed TK 5,000 from a moneylender on condition that he would repay TK 8,400 after three months. Many other borrowers have similar experience to narrate.
Moneylenders Md. Jaju Miah said, he stood by the people when they needed money badly for cultivation of their lands and other purposes.
Local farmers said they were compelled to approach the moneylenders for loans as they had no access to the institutional sources like banks. Besides, it was very difficult, they noted.
BRAHMANBARIA, Aug 16: Money lenders have been fleecing the share croppers and marginal farmers at remote villages under Sarail and Sadar Upazilas by charging abnormally high rate of interest against loan money.
Share croppers of village Chaturpur under Merashani Union Parishd said they had to borrow money from money lenders at a high rate of interest under compelling circumstances to cultivate their lands and meet other pressing needs.
We cannot protest against the high rate of interest being charged by the lenders as the latter wield much influence in the area, a borrower said.
One Abdur Rahman of Merashani UP has amassed wealth by lending money to the poor at high rates of interest.
He lends huge sums of money to the marginal farmers and share croppers during the IRRI-Boro season by taking their thumb impression on TK 50 stamps.
Md. Rakib Miah, an inhabitant of Sarail, said he borrowed TK 5,000 from a moneylender on condition that he would repay TK 8,400 after three months. Many other borrowers have similar experience to narrate.
Moneylenders Md. Jaju Miah said, he stood by the people when they needed money badly for cultivation of their lands and other purposes.
Local farmers said they were compelled to approach the moneylenders for loans as they had no access to the institutional sources like banks. Besides, it was very difficult, they noted.