A safe haven for buffaloes

Three modern shelters have protected hundreds of buffaloes belonging to farmers of Bhola after high tides for five consecutive days left the vast char areas along the coast inundated.

In the last two months, the areas were flooded eight times, but no buffalo was swept away by high tide because of these elevated enclosures, which also protected them from lightning strikes during thundershowers. The buffalo breeders, locally known as Bathani, of the char areas of Vhelumia and Vheduria unions are now relieved as they do not have to worry about their cattle during floods or incurring major losses.

Flood is a common occurrence from March to September in the low-lying areas of Bhola when high tides sweep the coastal region. Before the shelters were built, every year floods caused by the high tides used to sweep away hundreds of buffaloes during this period, making the farmers face severe losses.

To prevent that, the Bathanis have urged the authorities to build more shelters like these to save cattle from natural disasters.

In the past few decades, large-scale natural disasters like Cyclone Sidr, Aila, Viyaru, and Yaas have cost the lives of thousands of cattle in the coastal areas.

Other than the dry seasons, high tides during the full moon also wash away the livestock. The clay wall enclosures are not durable and cannot always protect the buffaloes.

Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation’s (PKSF) Sustainable Enterprise Project has built modern shelters for the first time in Bangladesh. They not only help keep the buffaloes safe but also provide ecological and sustainable development for the livestock.

One shelter with modern facilities in Vhelumia and two more in Vheduria were constructed in the last two years with the help of the nongovernment organisation Grameen Jono Unnayan Sangstha (GJUS). These shelters with lightning protection fences, freshwater systems and solar power installed facilities in the char areas have helped the Bathanis protect their buffaloes.

The shelters also have clean spaces for the milking and treatment facilities for the buffaloes and accommodations for the Bathanis. Interest in Buffalo rearing — which is an industry with a lot of potential according to the Bathanis — has increased among the locals in the region because of these facilities.

They said no buffalo was lost to the sea even though the coast was flooded several times in the past few months.

Bathani Reziul Howladar of Chandra Prasad village said he used to keep his 40 buffaloes in clay wall enclosures.

“They would submerge during severe floods and buffaloes get swept away. Waterborne diseases would also affect my buffaloes,” he said. “But I’m now relieved that they can now be safe during natural disasters.”

His concerns and sigh of relief were echoed by Bathani Bashar Majhi, who owns 35 buffaloes, and many others. They hope the government will build more modern enclosures with similar facilities in other areas soon.

Buffalo rearing plays a huge role in the economic development of Bhola. In particular, the Bathanis earn a major portion of their livelihood by selling buffalo milk. There are more than 100,000 buffaloes in 25 char areas of the district, which produces around 16,000 tonnes of milk every year.

GJUS Assistant Director Dr Tarun Kumar Pal said that they expect to build more durable shelters with modern facilities to ensure the livelihoods of the people of the char areas.

The three shelters in Vhelumia and Vheduria are the first of their kind in Bangladesh. Building more shelters like them will help expand buffalo rearing more and bring economic development, he added. Bhola District Livestock Officer Indrajit Kumar Mandal said the three shelters have reduced the number of buffaloes suffering from diseases or being washed away.

“These durable and safe shelters have increased the opportunities of buffalo rearing in the district,” he added.