Staff Correspondent, Narayanganj

Cattle hunting via river routes is not a new phenomenon in Narayanganj. The residents of the city have not forgotten past incidents of cattle being shot or sunk along with boats. There was hope that under the new government, this shameful chapter would not be repeated. Yet, this year too, forced cattle hunting is taking place at the confluence of the Shitalakshya and Meghna rivers as well as in the Buriganga River.

 In the Bandar and Fatullah areas of Narayanganj Sadar upazila, cattle traders are being held hostage and forced to redirect their livestock to certain markets. Allegations have surfaced that livestock-loaded trawlers coming from various districts are being hijacked at gunpoint and the cattle are forcibly unloaded at unauthorized markets.

 On the night of Monday,  Golam Mostafa, the leaseholder of a cattle market set up at the empty field north of Monowara Jute Mill in Ward 4 of Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC), made this accusation.

 He said, “We have given cattle owners advances of millions of taka to bring sacrificial animals from various districts. But at several entry points into Narayanganj via river routes, our livestock and traders are being held hostage with local weapons and forced to unload at two specific markets.”

 The two markets in question are located in the empty field near Kabir Mor on Ali Ahmad Chunka Road in NCC Ward 23, and another in the open field of the Chourapara area of NCC Ward 25.

Regarding the matter, Bandar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Tarikul Islam said, “We have received the complaints and an investigation is underway. Legal action will be taken. The matter of forced unloading of cattle at unauthorized markets is being seriously investigated.”

 Traders state that at several points along the river route to Narayanganj, local thugs are threatening them with homemade weapons and forcing them to unload cattle from the trawlers. The traders, who have already invested crores of taka in advance payments to cattle suppliers for Eid-ul-Adha, now face major financial losses if the livestock cannot be brought to their designated markets.

 There are allegations that those involved in the hijackings and forced market relocations are supporters of the BNP from the Bandar area.

 Meanwhile, three journalists were attacked by goons of a market leaseholder while trying to film the forced unloading of cattle from the Shitalakshya River in Bandar, Narayanganj.

 On Monday afternoon, at the Kaitakhali cattle market in NCC Ward 24, goons linked to Azmir Osman carried out an assault. The injured journalists were rescued and admitted to Bandar Upazila Health Complex for treatment.

 Following the incident, journalist Jihad Hossain filed a written complaint with Bandar Police Station naming three individuals and accusing another 200–250 unidentified persons.

 The accused are Rahid Shikder, son of Mannan Shikder of NCC Ward 24; Amil Shikder, son of Mahbul Shikder; and Manik, son of the late Sobhan Shikder.