|| Patuakhali Correspondent: In Bauphal, Patuakhali, hundreds of local men and women staged a human chain and protest march demanding the arrest of Chhatra Dal leader Main Uddin, who has been accused of extorting Tk 200 per buffalo for grazing on khas land in Lalchar, Chandradwip Union. On Wednesday, August 19, the victims crossed the turbulent Tetulia River and gathered in front of the Bauphal Upazila Parishad to hold the human chain. Later, they took out a protest march through different roads of the town demanding Main Uddin’s arrest.According to local sources, following the political changeover on August 5, 2024, Main Uddin, former senior vice-president of Ward No. 9 of Bauphal Municipality Chhatra Dal, started living in Char Miazhan area of Chandradwip Union. It is alleged that since August 5, he began collecting monthly extortion of Tk 200 per buffalo in exchange for permission to graze on the khas land of Lalchar. Currently, there are 478 buffaloes on the char, through which Main Uddin allegedly collects around Tk 95,600 per month.Buffalo farmers Rezaul Khan, Idris Dalal, Alamgir Hawladar, and Saiful Sharif said they had been grazing their buffaloes on the khas land completely free of charge and without any obstruction in the past to earn their livelihood. But now, paying regular extortion for each buffalo has made it impossible for marginal farmers to survive. They also alleged that those who refuse to pay are obstructed from keeping buffaloes on the char and are threatened.Two housewives, Rajia Begum and Rojina Akter, said the poor families living on the char depend entirely on buffalo rearing to run their households. If they now have to pay extortion just to graze their buffaloes, they will be forced to starve. They demanded a proper investigation and punishment for this extortion.