Farmers on 180 chars ringed by the Teesta in five districts of the Rangpur region are anxious about their ripe aman rice. The river keeps rising and falling, and if it rises just before harvest, ripe paddy on low land could be submerged. BSS's Rangpur correspondent reported the story.
According to the Rangpur regional agriculture office, aman was grown on 22,800 hectares on these 180 chars in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Nilphamari this year, with a bumper crop. Regional agriculture officer Abu Bakkar Saiful Islam said the Teesta usually fluctuates after mid-October, and in recent years ripe paddy has been lost to it at this time. The department has issued a warning across the chars and advised farmers to cut early-variety paddy quickly.
Much char land is low and close to the river, so a sudden rise floods it fast. Zahedul Islam, a farmer in Harishwar village, said there is no water when they need it, and then the river rises at harvest; the paddy is due to be cut in a few days, and until then they live in fear. Saiful Islam of Godai village said a whole year's work is now just waiting to be brought home.
Shahanur Rahman of Votmari char said that this time last year the Teesta destroyed his paddy on three and a half bighas; this year he has planted 7 bighas of aman.
Farmers want the river watched closely until the aman is in, and quick warnings to char farmers if a rise is expected. Upazila agriculture officer Salahuddin Ahmed said farmers are being advised to cut ripe paddy fast and will be warned in advance of any rise or flood.
Photo: Ibrahim Husain Meraj / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: BSS
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