BPC control room officials said about 60 lakh litres of diesel worth Tk 22.20 crore was supplied to North Bengal in August this year in addition to the regular amount of fuel supply for irrigating Aman fields. BPC did not have to supply any additional quantity of diesel to that area for irrigation in the last Aman season said BPC officials. DAE officials said more than 99 thousand tube wells including six thousand deep tube wells were functioning in the 16 districts in August. More than 80 thousand tube wells were running for irrigation purposes including 79 thousand shallow tube wells in eight districts of Rangpur Agricultural Zone, said Md Zakir Hossain, additional director of DAE Rangpur. About 4,800 deep tube wells were running in Barind area of Rajshahi Agricultural Zone said Md Mozahar Hossain, additional director of DAE in that zone. A high official of DAE said the department requested the agriculture ministry to provide it with Tk 10 crore as an aid to face the persistence drought in the region.

Md Abul Bashar, deputy director of DAE Bogra, said on an average Tk 600 was spent for irrigating one hectare of land. Rabindra Kumar Majumder, deputy director of DAE Rajshahi, said Tk 1200 was spent per hectare of land for irrigation in Barind area. DAE official sources said on an average Tk 900 was spent only for irrigation purposes in different areas in Rajshahi division. Rangpur Regional Agricultural Extension Office sources said eight districts of the region are seriously affected due to the prolonged drought. Noor Mohammed, a farmer of Bhadunir Ghat village under Ulipur upazila in Kurigram said he spent Tk 1800 more per hectare for irrigation this year than what he usually spends to cultivate Aman paddy. Another farmer Moyej Uddin of Jamadar Para village under Boda upazila in Panchagarh said he spent Tk 900 for irrigation this season but had not spent any money for irrigating Aman fields in the last season. Majharul Islam of Mundail village under Khetlal upazila in Jaypurhat said he had spent nothing for irrigation purposes in the last Aman season but had to spend Tk 1200 per hectare of land for irrigation this year. He cultivated more than three hectares of land spending Tk 3600 this season. Md Azadul Islam of Kabaj Gram village under Raninagar upazila in Naogaon, who solely depends on agro-farming, said he spent Tk 900 per hectare only for irrigating Aman fields but had to spend nothing for the same purpose in the last Aman season. Another farmer Sohel Rana Fazal of Moslempur village under Nachol upazila in Chapainawabganj said he spent Tk 750 per hectare only to irrigate the fields of transplanted Aman. Mostaque of Tarash Wapdapara village under Tarash upazila in Sirajganj said he cultivated broadcast paddy in low-lying areas of Chalan Beel and had to spend Tk 354 per hectare for irrigation. He also said other farmers of the same area who cultivated transplanted Aman had to spend Tk 600 per hectare of land for irrigation.