Ensure proper use of fallow, single-crop lands: minister

Fallow and single-crop lands in Sylhet should be brought under cultivation, while drainage and irrigation systems need to be improved and the cultivation of new and non-traditional crops expanded to ensure fuller utilisation of the land, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said yesterday.

The minister said the maximum utilisation of agricultural land, increasing productivity and farmers’ incomes are key priorities for the country’s future agricultural strategy.

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He made the remarks at a district-level workshop on preparing the annual action plan for the 2026-27 fiscal year and reviewing the implementation progress of the previous year’s plan.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) organised the event under its “Agricultural Development Project in the Sylhet Region through Modern Technology” at Hotel Metro in Sylhet city.

Muktadir said a large portion of land in Sylhet remains either fallow or is cultivated only once a year due to natural and infrastructural constraints.

He noted that waterlogging in haor areas and low-lying regions during certain periods of the year limits agricultural activity.

He emphasised that canal excavation could serve as a sustainable solution for both draining excess water during the monsoon and ensuring irrigation during the dry season.