Fallout Of Floods
20,000 hectares to remain fallow in Sirajganj
In bid to make lands cultivable, Sirajganj farmers remove the sand deposited during the last floods.Photo: Focus Bangla
At least 20,000 hectares of land in Jamuna basin areas in nine upazilas of Siranganj may remain fallow as massive sand deposit from successive floods this year have made them unfit for crops. According to sources in Agriculture Extension Department (AED), about four lakh farmers owning the lands are facing a grim future. They could not grow Amon as the lands were under deep water during plantation and will not be able to grow Irri-Boro in the current season. The lands now are not suitable for cultivation of even vegetables, mustard, wheat and maize, they said. Most areas in the districts reeled under flooded thrice this year that wrecked havoc for farmers. It is a matter of serious concern and frustration for farmers that the lands may not be cultivable in years if there is no fresh deposit of sand, the AED officials said. They said there are about 56,124 hectares of cultivable lands in Sirajganj Sadar, Raiganj, Kazipur, Belkuchi, Tarash, Ullapara, Shahzadpur, Kamarkhanda and Chowhali upazilas in Sirajganj district. Around 31000 hectares were brought under Amon cultivation this year before inundating by flood. The floods damaged most of the crops 0completely or partially. Amon on 20,400 hectares were completely damaged, the AED officials said. The grim picture surfaced after flood waters receded. Most of the sands are now sandy and have lost fertility. Jamser Ali, 45, of Kazipur upazila said, he has three bighas of land, which went under water during the flood. His two bighas of land have became sandy and unfit for any crop. “Mustard can be sown on the rest one bigha but God knows what will be the yield. “Even peanut will not grow well in my two bighas”, he said. Peanut grows in alluvial shore lands of rivers.
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