Mir Khairul Alam, Satkhira
The efforts of 6 educated youths in Debhata, Satkhira have brought about a crop revolution in fish farm sheep. They have started to see huge success in just 4 months. In their hard work, there has been an incident that has made the local people angry. The 6 youths are praised for creating employment on their own without looking for jobs.
Surprisingly, this incident happened in Bhatshala village of Debhata upazila on the Indian border. A young man named Sujan Hossain, a medical student, led this work. Sujan was joined by honors 3rd year student Aslam Parvez, 2nd year student Asif Hossain, higher secondary students Emon Hossain, Shaon Hossain and teacher unemployed youth Mahidul Islam. These educated youth had no land, no capital. On the other hand, Abdul Jalil, a local social worker of Vatshala, has a fish farm of one and a half hundred bighas. About 50 bigha of the fence was left day after day. So after talking to them, he decided to breed sheep in that enclosure. By cultivating the crops accordingly, now they have started to see the face of success. Upazila Agriculture Department has given overall support behind this. Agriculture officials have supplied necessary seeds and fertilizers. Under the advice of Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Mustafa Mostak Ahmed at the field level, with the efforts of the youth, various crops including tomatoes, beans, gourds, pumpkins, new fruits squash have been planted in the fish farm. About 4/5 lakh rupees worth of vegetables will be produced in the sheep farm of about 6 bigha fish farm. From which those 6 youths are hoping to earn big money. And so their collective success has been given the name of this initiative “Vatshala Naveen Krishi Samavai.”
Entrepreneur Sujan Hossain said, we 6 young people started a business. We decide to trade spices first. Then we started working by visiting different markets. But the owner of a masala mill in the side has reduced the price of masala in different markets so that our business cannot go ahead and he has put us at a loss. We suffer a lot in this. After some time the price of raw vegetables went up so we decided if we could produce some. But we didn’t have any land and capital. We are all educated and not employed then it is not decided whether to do anything agricultural or not. That’s why we go to the upazila agriculture office. We return home with inspiration from the agriculture office. Later I received the necessary training through the agricultural officers. But we had no land. So I contacted Anikat Alam, son of local Jalil Sahib. He was pleased with our initiative and allowed us to cultivate in his enclosure. Accordingly, we went down to the cultivation of crops there.
Aslam Parvez said, how many of us take an initiative together without looking for jobs. Where our produce can meet the needs of the area. For that purpose we focus on agriculture and with the help of agriculture department we are moving towards success. We have succeeded in the initial attempt and in the future we will cultivate poison-free vegetables by using organic fertilizers in the whole area. Besides, vegetables and khirai will be cultivated on the occasion of next month of Ramadan. Which can meet the needs of our area and people don’t have to be held hostage by any syndicate. If we get the necessary support, we will be able to expand this cultivation.
Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Mustafa Mostak Ahmed said that the youth came to the agriculture office and expressed their interest. We are providing them full support. We are continuing our best efforts at the field level to implement this initiative of theirs. Our services will continue for such entrepreneurs. Apart from this cultivation, they have been provided 4 kg of mustard seeds by the agriculture office. Along with other crops, this is also primarily cultivated by them.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Sharif Mohammad Titumir said that the agriculture department is continuing its best efforts to ensure that the land suitable for cultivation does not fall vacant. In our upazila, vegetables are being cultivated in fish enclosures in different areas. Newly in Vatshala area with the efforts of 6 youths uncultivated sheep has come under cultivation. Keeping their initiatives in mind, by providing overall support, about 6 bigha of fish enclosures are being cultivated. I hope that their efforts will increase in the future and the local people will be motivated by seeing them.