A few months ago the Teesta river in Lalmonirhat was very watery. Now, as the water has dried up, thousands of hectares of pasture have been created on the Teesta. Wherever the two eyes go, there is nothing in the eyes except dusty sand. Local farmers are busy cultivating maize, potatoes, onions, garlic and sweet pumpkins on that sandbank. Large-scale cultivation of Teesta pastures has given employment to many men and women workers. Because apart from agriculture sector, there are no job opportunities in this region.
Farmers say that this year’s floods have caused silt to accumulate in the Teesta river due to water coming from India along with water. As a result, they are seeing the possibility of various crops growing in these lands.
It is known that Teesta river enters Bangladesh through Nilphamari border and joins Brahmaputra river through Kurigram district via Lalmonirhat. The 115 km long river in the interior of the country falls in several parts at Lalmonirhat.
Lalmonirhat Agricultural Extension Directorate has informed that the target of potato cultivation in the district has been set on 6 thousand 3 hundred hectares of land and maize on 32 thousand 9 hundred 20 hectares of land. Apart from this, the agriculture department has set a target of cultivation of 900 hectares of onion and 400 hectares of garlic.
According to the Agriculture Department, out of the 60 thousand hectares of Lalmonirhat’s different grazing areas, 65 thousand hectares of land are cultivated in different types of crops.
Sadekul Islam of Char Sindurna village of Hatibandha upazila said, I have one acre of land in Teestar Char. Every year we do different crops on that land. Onion cultivation in one bigha of paddy land costs about 15-20 thousand taka. And one bigha land will produce 30-35 maunds of onion. Many of us here have been making a living by cultivating various crops.
Maqbul Hossain of Char Haldibari village of the same upazila said, I have leased 6 acres of land. Preparing to plant potatoes, onions and garlic there. I earn my living by cultivating various crops in pasture land.
A woman named Rahima Begum has come to work at Teestar Char. He said, if I work from 9 am to 4 pm, I get a salary of 400 taka. Men get 600 rupees. It would be better if the wages were a little higher. Even then, due to having a regular job, there is a little lack in the family. Families like mine would be much better off if this kind of work were available year-round.
Hamidur Rahman, Deputy Director of Lalmonirhat Agricultural Extension Department said, our farmers are spending busy time in the cultivation of maize, winter potatoes, mustard, onion, garlic and sweet pumpkin. Meanwhile, many vegetables are also available in advance. As farmers get better prices, they are encouraged to grow a little more. We have always advised them.
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