Scanty rains worry Aman farmers

Aman paddy farmers in Bogura have become worried due to a drought-like situation for lack of rain, which is hampering timely cultivation of the crop.

According to local sources, the farmers of Shibganj upazila have cultivated Aman paddy on 850 hectares of land this season. But the week-long heatwave and lack of rain during monsoon have them worried about production.

Farmers said they need to plant Aman paddy seedlings in the next few days but the seedbeds have dried out.

The farmers are trying to restore the seedbeds by proving irrigation through deep tube wells but it is costly.

Nazrul Islam, the owner of the deep tube well, said due to the lack of rain in the monsoon, the paddy seedbed is being destroyed. He added that he was providing water irrigation to the seedbeds of about a hundred farmers.

Farmers of Mirerchak village Sohel Hossain, Saiful Islam Mithu, Delwar Hossain, Dudu Mia and Panna Hossain said that they have never seen such intense heatwave during the monsoon season.

“We are irrigating the fields through deep tubewells as an alternative to protect Aman paddy seed beds,” they said.

Samsul Islam, a farmer of Teghori village, and Ibrahim Hossain of Vasubihar village said they are currently at a loss and do not know what to do about their dried fields.

Shibganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Al-Mujahid Sarkar said the department is providing advice and assistance to the farmers.