Freeing Poor Farmers From Bank Loans
Army move in Nilphamari hailed
File photo of octogenarian Monoranjan Roy being taken to jail for loan default, left, and Brig Gen Jamil Ahmed Khan handing over cheque to one of 163 loan defaulting poor farmers from army relief fund in Nilphamari on Thursday. Photo: STAR
Different organisations yesterday hailed the initiative by army to free some hardcore poor farmers of Jaldhaka and Dimla upazilas from shackles of loan. They urged the army to spread the progremme to the entire monga prone region in northern districts. On December 24, the army paid Tk 6 lakh from its relief fund to banks concerned to free 163 poor farmers from the burden of loan. Nilphamari district president of Krishok League, Khoka Ram Roy, Jatyotabadi Krishok Dal secretary Md Farhanul Islam, Khet Mojur Samity president Sreedam Das in separate statements yesterday said the efforts by army to free the distressed poor farmers from loan burden is a great humanitarian act and deserves praise. They said small and marginal farmers are becoming landless as they sell their land to repay loan. Jaldhaka Press Club president Golam Mostafa in a statement urged the army to spread programme in others areas of northern districts. In a simple ceremony at Jaldhaka Upazila Parishad auditorium on December 24, Brigadier General Jamil Ahmed Khan handed over checks for Tk 6 lakh among 163 loan defaulter poor farmers. The farmers instantly deposited all the checks to the bank officials present there to repay their loans. Speaking on the occasion, Brig. Gen. Jamil said the photo of handcuffed octogenarian farmer Monoronjan of Kaliganj village being taken to jail for defaulting on bank loan prompted the army to launch the programme. The photo was published in Bangla daily Prothom Alo on July 9. Seeing the newspaper photo Army Chief Moeen U Ahmed paid Tk 19,530 including the interest from his personal fund to Krishi Bank through local army camp to free Monoronjan. Loans of 163 farmers of Jaldhaka and Dimla were repaid from army relief fund. The banks exempted the interest on the loans as per a decision of the district disaster management committee. Brig. Gen. Jamil said the programme to pay the farmers' loan money was taken at the directive of Maj Gen. Fatemi Ahamed Rumee, Rangpur area commander and GOC of 66 infantry division. Lt Col Abu Naser Md Toha in his speech said the army will always remain beside farmers. Talking tom this correspondent, farmer Humayun Kabir, one of the beneficiaries of the programme, said his father Abdul Jabbar took a loan of Tk 500 from Krishi bank 25 years ago. His father died several years ago. He was issued a bank notice to pay Tk 22,000. “It was not possible for me to pay such a big amount. Now, the bank waived the interest and took only principal amount of Tk 500. Jaldhaka unit president of Bangladesh Muktijodha Sangsad Hamidur Rahman, convenor of Jaldhaka College Teachers Association Ansur Rahman Choudhury and Jaldhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Ilius Hossen1` Bablu also hailed the army initiative.
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