A former student wing leader faces severe accusations of extorting local livestock owners by demanding protection money to allow buffalo grazing on public pastureland in the southern coastal district of Patuakhali.
The alleged extortion scheme has taken root across the Lalchar region within Ward No. 1 of Chandradwip Union, located in Patuakhali’s Bauphal Upazila. Local buffalo farmers claim that Mainuddin, 27, a former activist affiliated with the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), has been forcing herders to pay a fixed fee of 200 taka per buffalo to access government-owned land.
Livestock owners operating in the remote riverine island area state that anyone refusing to pay faces aggressive intimidation and physical eviction from the public pastures.
Pasture Fees Strain Smallholder Livelihoods
Rezaul Kha, a local farmer, explained that herders have traditionally grazed their herds across the open meadows of Lalchar for years without hindrance. However, the situation deteriorated when Mainuddin recently instituted a mandatory fee structure, warning that non-compliant herders would be barred from the area. Left with no alternative feeding grounds, local farmers relented and paid.
Kha revealed that fees have already been collected for 478 buffaloes, representing a heavy financial burden on small-scale agriculturalists in the region.
“Many families in these riverine char areas depend entirely on public pastureland to feed their livestock. Having to pay extra money to graze our animals drives up operational expenses significantly. Under these conditions, earning a sustainable living from buffalo farming becomes almost impossible.”
— Idris Dalal, Local Livestock Owner
Suspect Denies Charges as Police Await Written Complaint
When contacted regarding the extortion allegations, Mainuddin denied the claims while declining to provide a detailed response over the phone. He stated that he was visiting a patient at a local hospital, inviting reporters to speak with him in person while advising journalists to verify the claims thoroughly before publishing.
Meanwhile, local police confirmed that they are aware of the situation in Chandradwip Union. Sirajul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bauphal Police Station, assured that law enforcement officers will launch a formal investigation and take legal action once an official complaint is lodged by the affected farmers.
The isolated char areas of Patuakhali rely heavily on cattle and buffalo rearing as a key driver of the rural economy. Unlawful toll collection on public grazing grounds directly threatens the livelihoods of smallholders who lack private land to sustain their livestock.
