A village that deserves govt attention

Housewife Bibha Rani Sarker, one of the many poultry farmers at village feeding her birds. PHOTO: STAR

Over 25000 eggs are supplied every day from 142 poultry and duck farms in the small village. Traders from other areas buy those.

The tremendous success has been achieved without any financial assistance from any quarter. Poultry farming has removed poverty and opened the door to prosperity there.

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This correspondent during a recent visit to the village saw men and women working at their farms set up on courtyards or nearby lands. They were either collecting eggs, or feeding the chicken or cleaning farms.

They have formed an organisation styled Gobindakati Poultry Farms Owners Multipurpose Co-operative Society.

Seeing their success, government officials visited the village last year and promised to supply electricity, construct a road, and provide with financial assistance for further development. But nothing has been done yet.

Days were hard for them a few years back, when they could not even send their children to school due to poverty.

Jhharna Rani Mondal, 34, mother of a son and a daughter, said her unemployed husband Parimal Kumar Mondal had bought 200 chicken and started a small poultry farm in 1990.

After three months those grew up and laid eggs, earning Tk 3000 to 4000 for the family a month.

They expanded their farm. They now earn a profit of Tk 10,000 to 12,000 a month, she said.

Seeing the couple's success, Shekhar Biswas bought 400 poultry birds and 200 children to begin with. Over the years, he bought lands and constructed a pucca building for his farm. He now earns a monthly profit of Tk 7000 to 8000.

Life is now meaningful to once a jobless youth Mahadev Sarkar, who had stopped going to school due to poverty when he was a student of class IX.

In 1996, he had bought 300 chicken. Within a few days, 80 chicken died from disease. But he was undaunted. He bought chicken again. He now earns Tk 6000 to 7000 profit every month.

Shib Padar Sarkar gets around 550 eggs a day from 1600 ducks in his farm raised in two ponds. He earns Tk 12000 to 15000 profit per month.

He will sell the ducks which have completed laying periods. This will bring him at least Tk 50,000. He will buy more ducks and expand the farm with the money.

Almost every family owns a farm, big or small.

On May 28 last year, District Livestock Officer Dr Mrinal Kanti Mondal visited the village declared Gobindakati a 'poultry village'.

Some days later, Kaliganj Upazila Nirbahi officer (UNO) Delwar Haidar, Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Kiron Chandra Roy and Upazila Younth Development Officer Abdulla-al-Mamun visited the village and submitted a report to the Deputy Commissioner mentioning some problems faced by the poultry farmers and suggesting remedies.

On August 9 last year, Satkhira DC AYM Ekramul Haq visited the village. He asked officials of Rural Electrification Board to bring the village under its network and assured the villagers to solve other problems.

But nothing has been done so far, Parimal Kumar Mondal, President of the Co-operative Society told this correspondent.

Due to lack of good communication, particularly in rainy season, price of egg decreases by 30 to 40 percent as transports do not reach the village, he said. On the other hand, carrying cost for poultry feed increases by about 20 percent, he said.

"It we get interest free loan and electricity supply and are provided with a good communication system, we will be able to expand are farms and create more jobs for many unemployed youths", he said.