Vegetable farming instead of smuggling
A few years back, most people of the border areas in five upazilas of the district used to be engaged in smuggling, but now they have rejected the illegal activity and started farming vegetables on their lands.
Of course, they feel happy farming vegetables as they are earning money without feeling any tension of getting caught, like they did when they were smuggling, they said.
Mansur Ali, 55, a vegetable grower at Dighaltari border village in Durgapur union under Aditmari upazila, said “I earned a lot of money every night, but it didn't bring any peace in the family as I and my family members had to face many troubles, including cases,” adding that he now has a free life.
Nabira Rahman, 63, of the same village, said he started farming vegetables after giving up smuggling seven years back, and now feels proud of living a smuggling-free life.
Jaldhor Sen, 48, said they spend Tk 30,000 to Tk 35,000 for growing 10,000 pieces of cauliflower one bigha of land, and sell each piece for Tk 8 to Tk 10 in the field. “I and my family members work together in the vegetable field and it brings peace for us, but there is no peace or satisfaction in smuggling,” he added.
Mobarak Hossain, 50, of Chawratari village in Mogolhat union under Lalmonirhat Sadar, said most of the arable lands in border areas were unused in the past as the people were engaged in smuggling, but now they utilise their lands for vegetable farming. “Our soil teaches us to live better through farming vegetables, and we will never go back to smuggling,” he added.
Aditmari Upazila Agriculture Officer Biplob Kumar Mohanta said the people of the border areas have changed their lifestyle for the better through farming vegetables on their lands. “Agriculture officials always provide technical input for vegetable farming,” he said.
Commanding Officer of BGB-15 Battalion in Lalmonirhat Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Bajlur Rahman Hayati said smuggling among the border areas people has decreased as BGB conducts campaigns for building awareness against smuggling.
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