Landless farmers with their families on Friday protested at extortionists who allegedly prevented them from farming, physically assaulting them and even giving them murder threats at Hatiya upazila in Noakhali.
From a human chain held in Char Ataur area of Hatiya, the protesters alleged that Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, Shamim Uddin and Alomgir Kabir sent their goons who released buffaloes into the fields where they had just sowed paddy saplings.
They said that the goons abducted some of the farmers, severely beat them and demanded a large sum as extortion.
The victims were later released after paying the demanded money through local leaders, they said.
The protesters accused the gang of forcibly occupying the land and warned of tougher movement if they did not stop their torment on the poor farmers.聽
They also urged the authorities to bring the accused to justice.
Local landless farmers, including Mahmudul Haque Maju, Mojjakker Bari, Abdul Quddus, Liton Uddin along with several women belonging to landless families spoke at the human chain.
Landless farmers and women from Char Ataur, Char King and Char Bogura took part in the human chain.