Boro paddy `blast` in Sreemangal upazila; farmers are disoriented

'Blast' disease has spread in Bri-28 paddy of this year's boro plantation in Hail Haor of Sreemangal upazila of Moulvibazar. As a result, the paddy field has become rotten. Farmers are disoriented by this disaster of paddy. When the paddy harvesting and threshing festival is supposed to be held in Matwara, the Haor area is very quiet. Cattle are eating paddy in the field. In some areas, the farmers are cutting paddy and throwing it in the water of Rima-Khal-Bil.

According to sources of Sreemangal Upazila Agriculture Department, 11 thousand 451 hectares of land was cultivated in the upazila this year. Among them, Bri-28 variety of paddy has been planted in 2 thousand 651 hectares of land. Bri-28 rice planted in No. 3 Sreemangal Union, Noagaon, Ichhabpur, Rajapur, Sirajnagar, Lamua, North Lamua and Kalapur villages of No. 5 Kalapur Union of Howra Le upazila has been attacked by blast disease. And in few villages of No. 1 Mirzapur Union and No. 2 Bhunbir Union, the disease spread in a small amount of land. In the mentioned villages, the paddy field has been destroyed. The Upazila Agriculture Department claimed that the Agriculture Department had discouraged farmers from planting Bri-28 rice. But some farmers bought seeds from the shop and planted this rice. Farmers say that when they go to the market to buy rice seeds, the seed dealers say that Bri-28 rice is high yielding, so they buy and plant these rice seeds in the hope of more profit.

Going to Hail Haor in Sarzmin, one can see field after field of ripe rice grains swaying in the wind. Most of the farmers have no interest in harvesting these paddy. Some are cutting some paddy for cattle feed while others are cutting paddy and floating it in canals to clear the land.

Omar Farooq, a farmer of North Lamua village, said that he cultivated Bri-28 rice on 120 bigha of land this year. When he saw the grain of rice, his mind was full. But last few days ago suddenly blast disease appeared in his land. His dream fades instantly. The paddy of the entire land is now dry. He brought some paddy for cattle feed. The rest of the paddy is lying on the ground.

Kawsar Mia, a farmer of Rajapur village, said, "I planted Bri-28 rice in about 30 bigha fields. This year the yield was good. Each bigha field was expected to have less than 15 to 18 maunds of paddy. When the paddy is about to arrive, the rice paddy has been soaked. Every rice plant is good, the leaves are good, but the rice field is finished only once. Maybe treatment is better. But people from the agriculture department did not come. We have ended up in neglect of the stars. This was the case last year too.

Ershad Mia of Noagaon village said, 'I was cultivating Bri-28 variety in about 20 bigha of land. I got a loan from the association and cultivated it. I was thinking of giving money to the association for rice yield oil. But the forehead is bad. The rice is all gone. Ahn I thresh the rice of man in the machine and somehow run the family by myself. Chinta oil how to give money to the association. The agriculture department has never looked for us. If they advise, we will benefit from it.

Tahir Miah of North Lamua village said, "I have run out of places." It is completely eaten up. We don't know how to stay in this situation. I am taking loan from Grameen Bank. I am also bringing Hawlat. Now how do you repay this debt, and how do you eat rice? The agriculture department has never come to see Amarre.

Chubetara Begum, wife of Sundar Mia of the same village, said, "I am doing 3-4 cares of paddy. I do my interest, I make loans, I bring money. I was thinking of taking four days and rice with children. Government officials did not take notice of us. Our rice is all wasted. Now how can we lend and eat? Now I have to starve.

Anju Kar, a farmer of Noagaon village, said that he has no land of his own. He borrowed another 7 bigha of land from people and cultivated it. Now it's time to get on his way.

Zobair Mia, a farmer of the same village, said, 'Bri-28 rice is being dishonest with us. The entire field is covered with field spray. I used 12 bighas of my own land with Kamla every day and spent 75 thousand rupees. Now it is all over.''He said, 'We are sprinkling the market with Thaikka pesticides, but it is not working.'' Similarly, Majnu Mia of Ichhabpur village, Faisal Ahmed of Lama Lamua village, Abdur Rahman of Lamua village, Kajal of Jagchhara tea garden complained. The Kalindis

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of April 8, ordinary farmers of Hail Howrah held a press conference at Sreemangal . In the press conference, they said, 'Boro crop is the main means of livelihood of most people in Hail Haor area. Some people cultivate Aush and Aman paddy but the quantity is very small. Each year's boro rice is the only source of food for the family in the following year. But almost all the paddy in the entire Howrah area has been destroyed due to blast disease. Some are cutting the spoiled paddy for cattle, some are cutting it and floating it in the water, and some are leaving it on the ground.

Farmers said that if the government does not help in seeds, fertilizers and other fields in the coming Aush, Aman and Boro seasons, it will not be possible for them to cultivate. At the same time, if the small, marginal and marginal farmers are not financially supported, they will have to go without food with their families.

In this regard, Sreemangal Upazila Agricultural Extension Officer, agriculturist Ujjal Sutradhar said, 'The way farmers are demanding is not correct. According to our field data, some of the land has been attacked by blast disease. A month ago, when the disease outbreak occurred, we advised farmers to move away from it. But the farmers did not observe it properly.
Sreemangal Upazila Agricultural Officer Agriculturist Md. Mohiuddin said, 'Farmers were discouraged from planting Bri-28 rice. Bri-28 is a very old variety. It was recommended by the Agriculture Department to cultivate Bri-88 or Bri-89 instead. Still, farmers planted Bri-28 rice on 2,651 hectares of land. Some of which are affected by blast disease. When it is first caught the leaves begin to die. At that time I advised farmers to spray two rounds of fungicide. Many have sprayed. Those who didn't or didn't do it right suffered some crop damage. Besides, since 25th/26th of March it has rained almost every day in Sreemangal . As a result of which the medicines of those who sprayed were washed away in the rain water. He said, the list of affected farmers is being prepared. Upazila Parishad meeting will be held this week. It will be decided how the victims can be brought under the support or incentives.

Moulvibazar District Agriculture Extension Directorate Deputy Director Shamchuddin Ahmed said, 'some paddy fields have been destroyed due to blast disease in Hail Haor, Hakaluki Haor and Kowadighi Haor of the district. Agriculture department is on the side of farmers. A list of affected farmers has been started. If any allocation or incentive comes from the government, the victims will be assisted.

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