Rice is one of the main farm products of this agricultural country, and there is demand for rice and other crops in Tangail, the largest district in Dhaka division. Among several farmers counted as successful in meeting the district's demand for rice, three from Delduar upazila stand out, named in the report's introduction as Samej, Jashim and Jalal.

The three now farm about 4.5 hectares between them. Starting from small inherited plots, they have not only grown rice successfully but, by selling it, have sent sons abroad and become owners of one to one and a half hectares of land. Farmland in these villages now costs at least Tk 50,000 a decimal; in this area 247 decimals make a hectare. Besides two rice crops a year, the land also grows mustard, jute, potatoes and groundnuts.

Locals said the three men live in Bakultala and Kukuria villages in Pathrail union of Delduar upazila and come from generations of farmers. Though they inherited little land, their success came from hard work and effort. Besides bringing prosperity to their families, their sales of hundreds of maunds of rice have made their villages well known among traders.

The farmer quoted from Kukuria village is named as Jamal Uddin, 70, son of the late Rahim Uddin. He said: "I got only 33 decimals of paddy land from my father. Working day and night growing rice, I ran the household and sent two sons abroad. My elder son has been in Saudi Arabia for 20 years and the younger in Qatar for 10 years. I now own 350 decimals. I grow rice twice a year. As soon as this season's Aman is harvested I will grow china (proso millet). Some fields have ripened and harvesting has begun, so I have taken on two labourers at Tk 350 each, and I am working alongside them. After keeping rice for the household, I sell about 500 maunds of paddy a year from this land."

"Wholesalers from different parts of Tangail come and buy our paddy. This time Aman prices were higher and labour cheaper, but I got a low price for Irri paddy. Labour wages went up to Tk 700." He hoped to get at least 300 maunds from his land this Aman season.

Middle-aged Jashim Uddin, son of Abdul Sheikh of Bakultala village, said: "My father gave me 90 decimals. Growing rice on it, I now have 250 decimals. Rice grows very well on this land, and two crops a year are possible. I sowed Aman as soon as the Irri harvest was over. I got 350 maunds from Irri, and will get 200 to 250 maunds of Aman. Selling paddy, I have built a brick house and am sending my children to school. Wholesalers come from Tangail to buy our paddy." He said he also grows jute and mustard.

Samej Uddin, 60, son of the late Gaziur Rahman of the same village, said: "I got 100 decimals as my share of my father's land. By growing and selling rice on it I bought more land, and now I have 500 decimals. The land in our village can grow rice twice a year. I sowed Aman as soon as the Irri crop was in. I got about 700 maunds of Irri, and will get at least 500 to 600 maunds of Aman." After the rice season, he said, he grows mustard and potatoes, and sometimes jute.

"Growing rice, I have not only bought land but educated four sons and built a brick house. My two elder sons now have jobs and the other two run businesses." He said he can sell about 1,000 maunds of paddy a year.

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