Seasonal job crisis brings woe to farm labourers
A good numbers of farm labourers in rural areas of the district are struggling for survival amid seasonal job crisis that is likely to continue until start of the aman paddy harvesting in late November.
The government's 40-day yearly job scheme meant for mitigating sufferings of the unemployed farm labourers during this period is yet to start this year, adding to the situation.
As there is hardly any job opportunity for farm labourers in the region during the Bangla months of Ashwin and Kartik (October-November), most of them are going to different towns and cities including the capital in search of job, locals said.
But many labourers return home frustrated as there is not sufficient job in towns too, said several farm labourers.
"I and 30 other farm labourers of the village are preparing to go capital Dhaka for searching job," said Noor Miah, 58, of Dewdoba village in Aditmari upazila.
“After failing to find job in the town, many farm workers like me are selling labour in advance to the local farm owners for low payments,” said Gajendra Nath Barmon, 48, of Bhadai village in the same upazila.
Farm labourers Abdul Miah, 62, Isa Ali, 50, Azizul Islam, 45, and others at Kalmati village in Lalmonirhat Sadar also talked about their utter helplessness due to the job crisis.
Farm labourers get job opportunity under the government-run 40-day job scheme during this period every year, but the project is delayed this year as the authorities are yet to sanction fund for the purpose, said Ziaur Rahman, project implementation officer in Aditmari upazila.
Nadim Sarowar, district relief and rehabilitation officer of Lalmonirhat (Additional Charge), said his office will get the government fund for running the 40-day job scheme programme very soon.
Lalmonirhat District Relief and Rehabilitation Office sources said, the government sanctioned Tk 4 crore 75 lakh and 68 thousand to arrange job opportunity for 5,946 ultra poor people in October-November last year.
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