A vast tract of land in Kotalipara of Gopalganj which once was covered with weeds has turned into a green carpet due to the bumper production of Boro paddy this season.
The Boro production beyond expectation has brought smile to the farmers and their family members in the upazila.
Responding to the call from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, farmers cultivated a total of 26,470 hectares of land in the Boro season, integrating 950 hectares of barren place into the mainstream.
The PM’s order coupled with the initiative by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) made the impossible thing possible.
Boro harvesting on 950 hectares of land started on Wednesday with cutting paddy on 65 decimal land of farmer Sajal Bala at Dharabasail beel (wetland) under Kandi union of Kotalipara upazila.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ferdous Wahid attended inauguration of harvest by reaper machine as the chief guest. Nitul Roy, upazila agriculture officer, Tushar Madhu, chairman of Kanti Union Parishad, Monindranath Roy, president of Kandi Union unit Awami League, among others, were present.
In his speech, UNO Ferdous Wahid said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked for not keeping an inch of land uncultivated. Accordingly, we started field work and followed instructions of Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former senior secretary and now entrusted with implementing development projects in Awami League President and Prime Minister’s constituency -- Gopalganj-3. We brought 950 hectares of wetlands under Boro scheme breaking record of hundred years. We will bring more such uncultivated land under cultivation in future.”
Nitul Roy said, “We held 32 meetings with farmers to make them cultivate the century-old-unused lands. Besides, we dredged canals and removed water-logging, alongside distribution of seeds and fertilisers for free. This resulted in bumper Boro production on 950 hectares of land. Boro production this year is expected to be 6,000 tonnes (MT) higher than the bygone year.”
About the future plan, he said 817 hectares of land are still remaining uncultivated in the upazila to be brought under the yielding scheme.
Sajal Bala said, “Dharabasail wetlands remained barren for hundred years. We cultivated the lands this Boro season. The Upazila agriculture office provided us with seeds, fertiliser and day labourers free of cost. Now, we are very happy.”
Echoing the view of predecessors, Tushar Madhu said, “The agriculture officer worked hard on the orders of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and supervision of development-in-charge in her constituency Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker since November. A chunk of 950 hectares of land has been added to the production channel bringing smile to hundreds of farmers in the area.”