Country's largest seed farm at risk
Flooding and erosion threatens the country's largest seed farm covering 1,044 acres of land in Dashmina upazila under the district.
Two hundred and eighty acres of land of the farm set up by Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) including its office building and godown there went into the bed of the Tentulia River in last three years, officials said.
This year 137 acres of land of the farm was brought under cultivation, including mug bean on 50 acres, pulses on 35 acres, potato on 20 acres, wheat on 20 acres, til on five acres, sunflower on five acres, and soya bean on two acres.
But due to lack of a protection embankment, tidal water from nearby Tentulia River entered the farm, forcing the authorities to collect potato early.
Visiting the farm a couple of days ago, this correspondent found mung bean plants rotting as the fields remained under saline water.
"Tidal surge easily enters the farm in absence of a flood control embankment on the Tentulia River. And so, green crops are rotting due to water logging," said Md Saiful Islam, assistant director of BADC (Seed).
The farm meant for producing salinity tolerant and hybrid varieties of crop seeds covers 1,044.36 areas of land at Char Botham, Char Fatima, Char Hyder, Char Shahjalal, Char Saimon, Char Borhan and Char Banshbaria in Dashmina upazila, BADC sources said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Tk 250-crore project on March 19 in 2013 and the authorities concerned started cultivation to produce seeds there.
They built several concrete structures like godown building, office, and residential houses for staff and bought a good number of agricultural tools for the farm but serious river erosion soon affected the farm, said BADC officials.
With the help of Bangladesh Navy, the Tentulia River was dredged in 2014 to change its course but in vain, they said.
Most of the farmland is flooded by saline water from the river during high tides influenced by the new moon and the full moon, said Md Mirajul Islam, assistant engineer of the farm.
Contacted, Alamgir Hossain, project director, said they have informed the higher authorities to take immediate steps for constructing a flood control embankment with concrete blocks to protect the farm.
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