Our Correspondent, Jhenidah: Betel leaves on six bighas of land and sugarcane on two bighas of land were gutted in a devastating fire in Kaliganj upazila yesterday afternoon. The affected owners claimed that the loss caused by the fire could go up to Tk 10 lakh. Locals said, Hamid Ali, Israil Hossain, Adhir Das and Anil Das, of Kullapara village, lost betel leaves on 30, 18, 60 and 70 decimals respectively. They said that sugarcane field owner Daud collected waste from his plantation and torched to destroy it. But, it spread and soon engulfed the adjacent betel leaf gardens at around 5:00pm. On information, firelighters rushed to the spot and doused the blaze with the help of locals. Kaliganj fire fighting unit officer Bimol Kumar also said that the fire originated from the sugarcane plantation. Adhir Das said he borrowed Tk 50,000 from a local NGO and bank for the cultivation of betel leaves. “How I will repay the loan how”, he posed. (Source: Daily Star) (Link: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=268103)