37 farmers get bail in debt case

A Pabna court granted bail to 37 marginal farmers in a sensational debt case in Ishwardi of the district for their alleged non-payment of loans of Tk 25,000–40,000.

Judge Mohammad Shamsuzzaman of Pabna Senior Judicial Magistrate Court passed the order around 11 am on Sunday (November 27).

Earlier, police arrested 12 farmers out of 37 accused on Thursday and Friday in the loan default case filed by Bangladesh Samabaya Bank. Later, they were sent to jail.

The farmers who got bail are Alam Pramanik, 50; Mahatab Mandal, 45; Kitab Ali, 50; Hannan Mia, 43; Maznu Hossain, 40; Atiar Rahman, 50; Abdul Gani Mondal, 50; Shamim Hossain, 45; Samad Pramanik, 43; Noor Bux, 45; Akram Hossain, 46; and Rajab Ali, 40. The remaining others are fugitive.

In 2016, Bangladesh Samabaya Bank allegedly provided loans of Tk 25,000 to Tk 40,000 per person to a group of 37 marginal farmers. In 2021, Syed Mozammel Haque Mahmud, the then manager of the bank, filed a case against them for not repaying the loans.