, Jan. 23 -- A farmer in Jaintapur, Sylhet, has suffered nearly Tk 10 lakh in losses after unidentified individuals allegedly vandalized his watermelon field over a past dispute.

According to the complaint, Mohammad Ahmad Ali (53) of Daiya village in Darbast Union cultivated watermelons this season on five bighas of land in Bedu Haor, owned by the local mosque.

Between around 9 pm on Jan 20 and 8 am on Jan 21, vandals reportedly entered the field and cut down 900 to 1,000 flowering and fruit-bearing watermelon plants.

Ahmad Ali filed a written complaint at Jaintapur Model Police Station. Following the incident, the Upazila Department of Agricultural Extension sent a sub-assistant agriculture officer to inspect the site.

"I am an ordin...