Dashmina seed farm under erosion threat
Over 400 acres of land, cyclone shelter, road washed away in 4 years
The country's largest seed production farm, covering 1,044 acres of land, in Dashmina upazila of the district is under threat of erosion by the Tentulia river.
Over 400 acres of land of the Dashmina seed production farm set up by Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) have already been washed away by the river in the last four years. Cultivation of crops is also greatly hampered as saline water from nearby Tentulia river regularly floods the area due to absence of flood control embankment.
“We have sent several letters to the authorities concerned, seeking immediate steps regarding the problem, but in vain,” said Dashmina seed production farm's Deputy Director Kishore Kumar Biswas.
“We sent a letter to them on August 24 in 2017 as many establishments, including office buildings, godowns, mosques, roads and space for drying seeds have already been devoured by the Tentulia river, while many other establishments are under threat,” he said.
The main office building is now only about 300 feet from the river, he said, adding that the situation will become worse if necessary steps are not taken immediately.
The project, meant for producing salinity tolerant and hybrid varieties of crop seeds, covers 1,044. 36 acres of land in Char Botham, Char Fatima, Char Hyder, Char Shahjalal, Char Saimon, Char Borhan and Char Bashbaria in Dashmina upazila, Kishore said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the Tk 250 crore, four-year project on March 19 in 2013. It is funded by BADC, which will run it when the tenure of the project ends. Godowns, offices and residential buildings for employees have been built and many tools have been purchased, but they are all under threat of being washed away.
Farmer Abdul Mannan Hawlader of Bashbaria village said erosion has become serious in the last few years, and huge areas of land have gone into the Tentulia river.
“We are very worried as the whole farm is facing extinction,” he said, adding that flood control embankment, sluice gates and culverts should be built to check the erosion.