Sylhet: A farmer in Jaintapur, Sylhet, has suffered nearly Tk 10 lakh in losses after unidentified individuals allegedly vandalized his watermelon field over a past dispute.

According to United News of Bangladesh, the complaint was filed by Mohammad Ahmad Ali, a 53-year-old resident of Daiya village in Darbast Union, who had cultivated watermelons this season on five bighas of land in Bedu Haor, owned by the local mosque.

Between around 9 pm on Jan 20 and 8 am on Jan 21, vandals reportedly entered the field and cut down 900 to 1,000 flowering and fruit-bearing watermelon plants. Ahmad Ali has since filed a written complaint at the Jaintapur Model Police Station. Following the incident, the Upazila Department of Agricultural Extension dispatched a sub-assistant agriculture officer to inspect the site.

Ahmad Ali expressed his distress, stating, “I am an ordinary farmer, and this is my first season cultivating watermelon on this land. Overnight, my entire field was destroyed. This is a huge loss for me. I want a proper investigation and exemplary punishment for the culprits.”

Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Shoaeb Ahmed confirmed the inspection, noting the total loss of the crop and describing it as a major setback for the farmer. He mentioned that Ahmad Ali’s plants had begun flowering and fruiting, with market-ready melons expected by Ramadan, but the vandals destroyed all prospects.

Jaintapur Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman Molla stated that the complaint has been recorded and the incident is under investigation. Efforts are underway to identify and take legal action against the perpetrators.