Photo: Collected
Farmers of 180 chars surrounded by the Teesta in the north are passing their days in anxiety. The reason is that the water of the Teesta river is sometimes rising and sometimes falling. With such fluctuation of water, farmers in 180 Teesta-surrounded char areas of Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Nilphamari districts of the Rangpur region are in fear over their ripe paddy. If the water rises just before the crop is brought home, the ripe paddy on low-lying land may go under water – this is the apprehension that is troubling them.
Regional agriculture officer Abu Bakkar Saiful Islam told BSS that the agriculture department has advised farmers to harvest the ripe paddy of early varieties. Farmers of the chars have been asked to stay alert. An alert has been issued across the chars by the agriculture department.
Rangpur regional agriculture office sources said Aman has been cultivated on 22,800 hectares of land in 180 chars of the five districts this time. The yield has also been a bumper one. If the Teesta water does not fluctuate, smiles will certainly bloom on the faces of the farmers.
Regional agriculture officer Abu Bakkar Saiful Islam further told BSS that the Teesta water usually fluctuates after mid-October. In the past years, ripe paddy went under the Teesta water, as a result of which farmers fell into trouble. If everything remains all right, farmers will profit this time too.
Talking to farmers of the char areas, it was learnt that Aman paddy has started ripening on the land of different chars in the current season. The paddy on these lands is supposed to be harvested within a few more days. Meanwhile, the farmers’ worry has increased as the height of the Teesta water is fluctuating. They fear that the ripe paddy may be damaged if the water rises suddenly.
Farmers said many lands in the char areas are close to the river and low-lying. As a result, there is a risk of these lands being flooded quickly if the water rises suddenly. If the ripe paddy is submerged in water, it may be ruined before it is brought home. They think it is possible to avoid major losses if the paddy can be harvested and brought home quickly.
Jahedul Islam, a farmer of Harishwar village, said, ‘When water is needed, water is not available. Again, when the time comes to bring the crop home, there is no end to our worries if the water rises. The paddy is supposed to be harvested after a few days. Until then we have to remain in fear.’
Saiful Islam, a farmer of Gadai village, said, ‘We have grown the paddy by working hard all year. Now we are only waiting to bring it home. If the river water rises at this time, we will suffer a great loss.’
The farmers demand that the Teesta water situation be kept under regular monitoring until the Aman paddy is brought home. They have also demanded that farmers of the char areas be alerted quickly if a possibility of the water rising arises. With this, the farmers will be able to take necessary measures to protect the crop with advance preparation.
Sahanur Rahman, a farmer of Bhotmari char, said the paddy on three and a half bighas of his land in the char was ruined by the Teesta water at this time last year. This time he has planted Aman paddy on 7 bighas of land in the char.
Upazila agriculture officer Salahuddin Ahmed told BSS that farmers are being advised to quickly harvest the ripe paddy of the Teesta char areas. They will be alerted in advance if a rise in the river water or a possibility of flood arises. Necessary advice is being given to farmers at the field level on bringing the ripe paddy home quickly.
