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Download PDF A paltry sum of Tk 672 has been allocated for each hectare under the government’s post-flood agriculture rehabilitation programme in ten northern districts while official statistics show that Aman cultivation costs Tk 5,600 on an average.
The farmers, however, put the figure at Tk 13,000 to Tk 15,000 for a hectare of land as the cost has greatly increased, especially after the flood.
The government has allocated Tk 7.75 crore for cultivating paddy and other seasonal crops on 1,15,238 hectares of flood-affected land in the northern districts whereas Tk 64.53 crore is required for the task, officials of Agriculture Extension Department (AED) said referring to government statistics.
At least three lakh farmers in the northern districts have become empty-handed due to the flood this year, AED sources said.
Failing to get monetary assistance from the government, many farmers in the region are now forced to borrow money to begin cultivation once again.
“I have spent Tk 15,000 to plant Aman saplings worth Tk 8,400 on a hectare of land after the floodwater receded,” Md Mahbubur Rahman, a farmer in Dhunat upazila under Bogra district said.
“Those who have managed to grow saplings have less cultivation cost. Even then they need at least Tk 13,000 for cultivating a hectare of land,” he said, adding that it would cost Tk 7,000 before the floods.
The Tk 7.75 crore allocation is for flood-affected districts of Sirajganj, Pabna, Natore, Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Bogra and Rajshahi while no rehabilitation allowances were given for six other flood-hit northern districts including Dinajpur.
Flood-related loss in agriculture sector excluding production loss in Sirajganj district was shown to be Tk 72 crore but only Tk 2 crore has been given for agriculture rehabilitation in the area.
Another allocation of Tk 2 crore will be spent for cultivation in winter season as Aman production will suffer if the sowing of Aman paddy cannot be completed in ten days.
Like Bera in Pabna, thousands of hectares of land in Sirajganj are still under water.
The farmers of Kurigram, who had planted Aman saplings on loan after the floods, incurred huge losses as their cultivated lands went under water again due to onrush of water from the hills. Besides, a large area of cropland is facing erosion by Dharla river.
“I do not know when flood water will recede from my half hectare of land. If the water recedes in a week I will plant Aman saplings taking loan from my relatives,” said Nazrul Islam of Belkuchi in Sirajganj.
“Floodwater totally damaged Aman on over one hectare of my land. I had to take loan to plant it,” said Rais Uddin Mollah of Raghunathpur in Pabna.
“If the flood water recedes in a week, I will plant paddy again. This time I will sell my cattle to meet the cultivation cost,” he added.
Like him, a large number of farmers were affected by floods, rain, onrush of water from hills and river erosion. Many of them did not get any assistance from the government under the post-flood agriculture rehabilitation programme.
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