S.A.Shofiee. Sylhet :
The extreme poor people at different areas in the Sylhet district are passing busy time collecting paddy from ratholes during the Aman harvest period to provide support to their impoverished family.
According to sources a good number of ultra-poor people are engaged in recovering the foodgrains which have been stored by rats in their holes.
Some poor people said every year they move around different areas in search of ratholes during harvesting time for collecting paddy. There is a risk of snake or rat bite. But they have to do it despite having such risk on account of extreme poverty.
Rats dig holes 5 to 8 feet deep in fields to store foodgrains. Poor people like them move around in different fields to look for the holes, they further said.
Abul Mia (50), of Daspara village under Sadar Upazila in the district told that he has been collecting paddy from ratholes for the last 25 years. He manages to collect 15 to 20 kg foodgrain from a rathole everyday. He can dig 2 to 3 holes per day.
Visiting different areas of the district this correspondent found that a number of children were also engaged in collecting paddy from ratholes.
Some children said they enjoy collecting grains from ratholes which the rodents deposit in the holes. “We can collect 6 to 10 kg paddy per day during harvesting period and in this way we are giving support to our family”, they said.
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Sylhet sources said rats cause huge damage to crops every year during harvesting time by storing huge amount of foodgrains in their holes and thus they are affecting food production seriously.
The extreme poor people recover the grains stored in ratholes and preserve the grains for their bad days particularly for lean period, sources further said.
