A Pabna court on Sunday has granted bail to 37 farmers including arresting 12 people in the sensational loan default case of Ishwardi in Pabna.

Pabna Senior Judicial Magistrate Court-2 (Acting Judge of Senior Judicial Magistrate Amli Court-2) judge Md. Shamsuzzaman gave this order.

The bailees are Alam Pramanik,50, son of ShukurPramanik, Mahatab Mondal,45, son of MoniMandal, Kitab Ali,50, son of late Korban Ali, Hannan Mia,43, son of Harez Mia, Mohammad son of late Abul Hossain. Majnu,40, Mohammad Atiar Rahman,50, son of late Akher Uddin, Abdul Gani Mondal,50, son of late SobhanMandal, Shamim Hossain,45, son of Kamal Pramanik, Samad Pramanik,43, son of late Ayez Uddin, son of late Samir Uddin. Noor Boxo,45, Riaz Uddin’s son Mohammad Akram,46 and Lalu Khan’s son Mohammad Rajab Ali,40.They are all marginal farmers. All of them live ion different villages in Ishwardiupazila of Pabna.

It has been found that in 2016, a group of 37 marginal farmers took a loan of Tk 25,000 to Tk 40,000 per person from Bangladesh Cooperative Bank. In 2021, the then manager of the bank Syed MozammelHaque Mahmud sued 37 people on behalf of the bank due to loan default.

Meanwhile, the Pabna Senior Judicial Magistrate Court issued an arrest warrant against them on Wednesday (November 23). Police arrested 12 of the 37 people on warrant till Friday afternoon and sent them to jail.

The families of these farmers claim that most of the farmers have repaid their loans within a year after taking the loan. They also have books and deposit slips with them. But that money was embezzled by the concerned field level officials of the bank without depositing it. As a result, they have to suffer harassment and suffering.

Central president of Bangladesh Farmers Development Society, Bangabandhu National Medalist farmer Siddiqur Rahman KulMayez told New Age at the court premises that when the arrest warrant was issued against these farmers on Wednesday, they were all working in the carrot fields. Police arrested 12 people from the house and different places. The rest left their homes fearing arrest and went elsewhere.

He also said that it is not right to harass the farmers who wake up in the morning to produce food for the people of the whole country. Harassment cases filed against them should be withdrawn immediately.

The harassed farmer family members thanked the media and said that our relatives got legal help today because of the media. They thanked the Prime Minister, the media.

Syed MozammelHaque Mahmud, the then manager of Bangladesh Cooperative Bank, the plaintiff in the case, said that the case was filed on the orders of the higher authorities because the farmers did not pay the loan amount. It is an ongoing process to recover defaulted loans. We have taken our official measures. They got their legal help.

Pabna Superintendent of Police Akbar Ali Munshisaid,`I sat with the farmers after getting bail. I heard everything from them. Care is being taken to ensure that they are not harassed.

Pabna Deputy Commissioner Biswas Russel Hossain told New Age that the matter came to the notice of the Prime Minister and I have received his instructions. It has been asked to investigate why the case was filed against the farmers. We have started investigation on behalf of the administration. The issue is being looked at seriously so that no farmer is victimised.

Three advocatesSaidur Rahman Sumon, advocate KaziSajjad Iqbal Liton and advocate Moinul Islam Mohan were the lawyers for the accused.