Netrakona Correspondent

A severe shortage of rice harvesting workers has emerged in the haors of Netrokona district, surrounded by haor and hilly areas, since the beginning of the month of Baishakh. Due to this, farmers are unable to harvest ripe rice.

Farmers are living in fear of storms, heavy rains, and hailstorms during the month of Baishakh. Although fertilizer traders created an artificial crisis for extra money, the land yielded a good harvest.

In addition, a human chain was formed by the Haor Bachao Andolan District Committee, including the Chief Advisor and the Anti-Corruption Commission, regarding irregularities in the construction of dams in haors. When we went to the ground, it was seen that 70% of the work in the haors had been completed.

Talking to haor farmers about the land, it was learned that there was no rain in the haor in the month of Chaitra. They are facing the threat of heavy rain and hailstorms in the month of Baishakh. The planted rice is ripe and the farmers are rushing to harvest the rice in these lands due to the shortage of laborers.

It is being hampered by the labor shortage. They are worried about harvesting paddy in time. They are, it would be a great help if workers came from outside the district. The demand cannot be met with a small number of local workers. In addition, local workers are charging higher wages for harvesting rice.

Those concerned say that most of the people of Netrokona district, surrounded by haors and ravines, are involved in agricultural work. Their livelihood depends on this. Many of them have gone into garment and factory work. Due to which there has been a labor crisis. Besides, according to the information of the agricultural office in 10 upazilas of the district, there are about 5,000 combine harvesters on paper, but in reality they have disappeared in various districts of the country.

Due to which there is a labor shortage. It has been seen in the haor that even though some combine harvesters have arrived from outside the district, the demand is not being met. As soon as the month of Baishakh begins, the festival of paddy harvesting begins and paddy is filled to the brim. According to the information provided by the Department of Agricultural Extension, this time Boro rice has been cultivated on 1,85,460 hectares of land in 135 haors in 10 upazilas of the district.

Of this, hybrid, Ufsi and Bidhan varieties of local rice have been cultivated. This time, it is expected to produce 12,63,490 tons of rice from the land. Accordingly, 842,027 tons of rice will be produced from Boro. Chandan Mia, a farmer from Perichar village in Mohanganj upazila, said that the rice is ripe in the haor.

I have been searching for local workers for three days to cut it, but I can’t find them. Since the number of workers is low, their demand is high. They are not available when needed. There is a risk of damage to ripe rice in the event of storms or hail.

Abul Kashem Abadi of Lipsa village in Khaliajuri upazila said, “There is a shortage of local laborers in all the villages in Chakua union. It is not possible to harvest all the rice in the haor with what is available. Unless workers come from outside the district, This crisis will not end. Some workers came from outside the district at the beginning of Baishakh, but it is not enough.

Sushil Das of Nagar village said that his paddy on 5 acres of land has already ripened. He is unable to harvest it due to lack of workers. He said, “Ripe rice will fall if it stays in the field for a long time, so I am looking for workers.” Thus, there is a shortage of workers and harvesters in all the upazilas of the district. Mohammad Nuruzzaman, Deputy Director of the District Agricultural Extension Department, said that local workers are harvesting the rice that has ripened in the haor. Harvesters are also being used to harvest it. This time, it is expected that the haor will produce much more rice than the demand.