Amid ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and countrywide lockdown Boro harvesting, the country's biggest paddy harvesting season, is going on across the country.
Farmers, especially from haor (water body) regions, are facing crisis of agro-workers to cut their paddy on time as public transports are not available due to lockdown.
The government, however, has arranged special transports for agro-workers to travel from one place to another.
The government is also providing adequate number of combined harvesters and reapers to the Boro farmers, said Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzak.
The government and especially Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League (AL) and its associate bodies to help farmers in cutting Boro paddy during the harvesting season like previous year. In the 49th founding anniversary programme of Krishak League, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader also said, "The second wave of corona has started to hit. At this time Krishak League has many responsibilities. Last time, Krishak League, Chhatra League, Juba League and Swechchhasebak League took part in paddy harvesting."
"This time too, the Prime Minister wants our Krishak League to stand by the farmers during the paddy harvesting season. All the leaders and activists should cut paddy and deliver it to the farmer's houses, if needed," he added.
Regarding Boro harvesting, Krishak League President Samir Chanda said, "Like last year, this year too, Bangladesh Krishak League will cut paddy of the farmers all over the country in compliance with the hygiene rules."
"We have formed several teams for paddy harvesting across the country. Our teams already have started their activities and they are helping farmers in taking paddy into their houses without any hassle," he added. At an online meeting on Thursday Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzak said, "40 percent harvesting of haor paddy has been completed. There will be no problem in harvesting paddy in the haor during lockdown."
"Agro-workers have been brought from different districts including the northern part of the country in compliance with the health rules. At the moment there is no shortage of workers to harvest paddy in haor regions," the minister added.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), this year, Boro has been cultivated in 9 lakh 46 thousand 534 hectares of land in seven districts of haor including Kishoreganj, Netrokona, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Habiganj and Brahmanbaria.
Of them, 4 lakh 51 thousand 7 hundred and 70 hectares of land has been cultivated in haor areas alone.
Till April 21, paddy had been harvested in 2, 31,365 hectares of land in 7 districts in haor areas, which is about 25 percent.
On the other hand, 1, 80,729 hectares of paddy land in haor alone has been harvested, which is about 40 percent of the total harvesting.
