M.A. Awal, Narsingdi :
An acute labour crisis has been prevailing at this peak period of harvesting of Boro paddy in the six upazilas of the Narsingdi district.
Following the crisis the cost for hiring laborers has also increased. It is to be mentioned here that in almost all the districts of the country harvesting of Boro paddy begins at this time of the year. As a result, crisis of laborers has reached its highest level all over the district.
After visiting Narsingdi Bazar, Korimpur, Madhabdi in Narsingdi Sadar upazila,
Morzal Bazar, Raipura, Hansabad in Raipura upazila, Shibpur Bazar, Choitonno, Potia in Shibpur upazila, Hatirdiya, Chalakchor in Monohardi upazila, Charnagardi, Gorashal of Polash upazila and Charbalabo, Naraaynpur in Balabo upazila.
Some land owners have to go door to door in search of labourers. Some of them lie in wait beside the fields where the labourers are already engaged so that they can hire them from the spot as soon as they finish their work.
In some places one can see a long line of land owners to rent and capture the day-labourers even by paying extra wages and other facilities. The scheduled time of harvesting paddy is about to expire in some upazilas of the district.
The land owners are facing extra problem most of the labourers some from other villages and town areas for the work. There are generally two types of laborers in Narsingdi.
They are available in groups. Seasonal laborers come from different places and nearby districts. They work on contract basis.
The landowners prefer seasonal laborers as they work fast and finish the work in the scheduled time or to engaged themselves in next work to earn more. The labour cost has been increasing day by day. Normally Tk 500 to Tk 550 with lunch is paid to the laborers but some times the wages may exceed Tk 550 to Tk 550 with lunch but at present the wages have rose to Tk 550 to Tk 600 with lunch, veen then the land owners are ready to engage them at the present rale but workers are not available. It takes seen to eight day to find a laborer as a result, the paddy is becoming hollow inside. On the other hand, the new paddy price of paddy is decreasing day by day. Abul Bashar a day. laborer, said, he has come from Raipura to Narsingdi to cut paddy.
Abdul Jolil a farmer from karimpur in sadar upazila, said, if the government declared upper and lower limit of one day wages on the basis of season and situation, then the day laborers doesn’t take excess money and also the discrimination become less.
