Our Correspondent :
A huge quantity of standing Boro paddy cultivated on 442.6 hectors of lands was badly damaged in the nine Upazilas of Bagerhat district when heat-stretch swept over the (Boro) paddy fields recently, according to reports received here. The standing paddy looks fair from the distant places. But whenever one goes to the affected paddy fields it is found that the grains of paddy were dried up and containing no substance. In some cases the sticks of the standing paddy were lying on the grounds due to squally wind swept over them. As a result, the farmers who cultivated Boro paddy after borrowing loans from the banks or private sectors are badly affected in the midist of Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the damage of Boro paddy many of them became destitute.
According to a source of Bagerhat district Agriculture Extension department, Boro paddy was cultivated on 55 thousand 5 hundred 50 hectors land in the nine (9) Upaziolas of the district in the current season. But due to heat-stretch and stormy wind Boro paddy of 442.6 hectors of land already were badly affected. But the Boro cultivators of Chitalmari Upazila are the worst affected. The Upazila wise brake up of the affected paddy lands are Chitalmari-200 hectors, Sadar Upazila- 90 hectors, Fakirhat Upazila- 80 hectors, Kachua Upazila- 40 hectors, Morrelganj Upazila- 20 hectors, Mollahat Upazila- 10 hectors and Rampal 02 hectors while Boro paddy of a negligible area of Sharankhola and Mongla Upazilas was damaged. Consequently, more than one thousand farmers were very badly and financially affected. But according to the farmers, the number of the affected farmers is more than that.
Ranajit Kumar, a farmer of Chitalmari Upazila told the newsmen, I cultivated Boro paddy on my paddy lands with a great hope and expected to harvest the paddy within a month. But my all hopes and desires were disarrayed when the recent heat-stretch and stormy wind swept over my Boro paddy fields. After the incident when I go to my arrayed paddy fields I cannot but wiping.
Lopa Mondol, a female farmer of the Upazila told, after taking the lease of a plot of paddy land from another I cultivated Boro paddy on the land. But a cyclonic storm that swept over thed area smashed my standing paddy within minutes. As a result, I became destitute. My family consists of 6 members. This cyclonic storm not only lost the favour of my fortune; but also lost the favour of fortunes of so many people of the locality.
Md. Shafiqul Islam, Deputy Director of Bagerhat District Agriculture Extension department Admitted that the heat-stretch had damaged bunches of paddy (of the standing Boro paddy) on 442.6 hectors of paddy lands in the different places of the district. He added, it happened mainly in the high breed Boro paddy fields and we are advising the farmers to spray water mixing with moderate potash fertilizer around the affected paddy fields.
