Farmers start ploughing char land of Padma to grow various crops

RAJSHAHI, Nov 09: A good number of farmers have started ploughing vast char lands of the Padma river to cultivate various crops.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Rajshahi, does not have idea how much char land of the river have been brought under the cultivation as they also do not maintain any account the crops grown on the lands. However, farmers' sources said the cultivable char area would cover thousands of acres of land. Even three-crop a year is being cultivated in same land.

Mofazzal Hossain of Kaligram village under Bagha upazila is a fisherman by profession. While the river Padma is full of water, he earned his livelihood by catching fish and when the river is dried up, he took sickles and shovel to plough the land instead of fishing net and boat. During this dry season, he also started to prepare charland for producing crops.

Mofazzal said he spreads 'pulse' or 'Kalai' seeds on the newly-emerged soil two week ago and will cultivate 'mustard' after harvesting the pulse. He said after harvesting mustard, he will spread 'sesame' seeds there. With the matured of the sesame seed, water will start to emerge in the river and he will take his net and the boat again and go fishing in.

Not only in Bagha upazila but also in Godagari, Charghat and Paba upazilas, thousands of acres of land has emerged on the bed of the river Padma. Farmers living beside the river are now engaged with cultivating wheat, lentil, gram, peanut and pulses seeds on those land.

Farmers associations have also been formed in various villages to bring the farmers under a platform to cultivate those thousands of acres of land.

Barkat Ali, President of such an association at Char Majardiar village informed, with recession of water, hundreds of bighas of charland appeared on the river bed. Of those land which are fit for cultivation are ploughed and crop is produced there. Those lands contain various vegetations and grass which is not possible for a single person to prepare for cultivation that is why those are cleared and made cultivable land through group effort.

He further said, all farmers took part in action equally and shared the cost of cultivation of the land equally. Now, the land on the river bed was providing livelihood of thousands of people.

Rafiqul Islam of Fultola village said char land on the river bed is fertile. There is no necessary to apply fertiliser or insecticide to grow crops there. They can also cultivate paddy on the land by irrigating water through shallow engine. By the last week of October, the land of the river bed is being prepared by plowing those with tractors.

Rajshahi DAE officer Deb Dulal Dhali said many farmers earn their livelihood by producing crops in the char land.

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