The ongoing blockade has taken a serious toll on the farming of Boro crop in Haor regions highly dependent on migratory farm labourers from the Northern region.
Vandalism and arson attacks on highways and disruption in transportation have been forcing labourers from the country's Northern region to avoid going to Haor areas for jobs, farmers and experts said.
Md Ataul Ghani, a farmer at Alir Haor in Sunamganj district, told the FE that he had brought 10 acres of land under Boro cultivation this year.
He said: "I need 4 workers now for removing weeds, irrigating lands and applying fertiliser as the paddy is at the half-mature stage and will ripe in mid-March."
"The area is facing a severe shortage of farm hands due to the blockade as labourers from Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Pabna couldn't come to the area due to the blockade and hartals," he said.
"Daily charge of a labourer has surged to Tk 400-450 a day from Tk 250-300 and we are not getting the required number of labourers despite offering higher wages," he said.
"The condition will be worse if the blockade continues for next month when harvesting will begin in many areas", he said.
Agriculture specialist and Haor region expert Dr M A Haider said to protect Boro crop from sudden flashflood, the Haor peasantry adopted the early Boro farming method that made it possible to begin plantation from October-November and harvest in March-April period.
He said most of the Haor region farmers and landlords were in need of farm labourers from distant districts.
The shortage of labourers is met by migratory farm workers from Rangpur and Pabna areas, he said.
He said approximately 0.1-0.12 million farm labourers from distant districts come to the Haor region during the February to April Boro season.
"After the end of harvest in Haor and Beels, they go back home to their villages where Boro harvest starts towards the end of May," he said.
He said: "The Boro productivity per acre may decline following the labour shortage this season."
"The blockade that started last month has severely affected farmers and farm labourers --- mostly marginal communities," he commented.
According to Sylhet and Mymensingh regional offices of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), this year Boro has been cultivated on 0.295 million hectares in parts of Sunamganj, Habiganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Netrakona and Kishoreganj districts.
It is 6.2 per cent of the country's total Boro acreage of 4.78 million hectares (targeted this year), according to the official data.
The government has set a target to produce 18.9 million tonnes of rice in the Boro season this year.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
Labour shortage hits Haor region Boro farming
Yasir Wardad | Published: February 16, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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