Asabul Haque runs a vermicompost (earthworm compost) project in Pitambarpur village of Alokdia union in Chuadanga Sadar upazila. His organic fertiliser is of good quality and in demand, but the project is under threat because he does not get a fair price. Without a licence he cannot package and market it himself, and several well-known fertiliser companies buy it from him cheaply and sell it across the country at a large profit.

Vermicompost has changed Asabul's fortunes. Starting from almost nothing, his capital is now over Tk 1 crore. Besides improving his own lot, he has created jobs for more than a hundred people, and his product protects the health of farmland. He encourages jobless people who are interested, promising them all-round help.

Asabul Haque is the eldest son of Abu Bakkar and Latifun Nesa of Pitambarpur. He once ran a tea stall. He lives with his wife Shahanaj Parvin, four sons and a daughter, and the family used to struggle with poverty. Hoping to change his fortune, he began rearing garole sheep, which brought some relief. He then began dreaming of creating work for low-income people like himself, and has not looked back since.

In 2014 he took a seven-day training course from Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar in Kushtia. In 2015 he took a loan of Tk 7,000, bought five rings and started a vermicompost project at home. "Hard work began to change my fortune, and with it came jobs for poor men and women. Now I have started production at seven sites in Chuadanga, Meherpur and Jhenaidah. Alongside, there are organic fertiliser, ready-mix soil, cocodust, bone chips, horn chips, neem cake and other inputs," Asabul said.

"Many well-known companies buy vermicompost from me and profit by marketing it in their packets. To this day I have had no government help. Despite many attempts since 2019, I have not been able to get a licence for my business. With a licence, this vermicompost could spread across the country and I could make an important contribution to the country's agriculture," he said.

His son Yasin said: "More than fifty people work in our vermicompost project. Our vermicompost, named 'Krishi Khamar', is now in demand nationwide, and it sells online and offline."

Bibhas Chandra Saha, deputy director of the district DAE, said: "Asabul, an entrepreneur in Chuadanga, is producing vermicompost. We are advising him in various ways. We collected samples and sent them to Jashore for his licence, but because of some problems the result was not good. We have advised him on everything he needs to do to pass the test and get a licence. We have also advised farmers to use more of Asabul's vermicompost. This fertiliser increases soil fertility."

"If he needs it, we will talk to various banks to arrange loans on easy terms. I have instructed the Sadar upazila agriculture officer, and we will promote his vermicompost to farmers through demonstrations and other publicity so that it is used," he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.