Farmers use public roads for paddy processing

Farmers in different areas of Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts are using the roads and highways for threshing and drying paddy and straw in the ongoing boro harvesting season, disturbing vehicular movement and posing risk of accidents.  

The tendency of using public roads for paddy processing is increasing because action is not taken against those who are doing this callous act, sufferers alleged.    

Many roads, including Thakurgaon-Pirganj, Thakurgaon-Baliadangi, Thakurgaon-Ruhea, Thakurgaon-Farabari and Thakurgaon-Gorea in Thakurgaon district; and Boda-Debiganj, Panchagarh-Atwary, Boda-Atwary, and Panchagarh-Tunirhat in Panchagarh district; are now mostly covered with newly harvested crops and straw. 

Very often, straw gets entangled with the wheels of the vehicles, sometimes causing them to slip off the road. Motorcyclists face the most difficulty.

During a visit to Thakurgaon-Farabari road, Boda-Debiganj highway, this correspondent saw many farm labourers threshing and drying paddy on the roads, ignoring the safety of commuters.    

Mohammad Dulal, 40, of Jolpakhuri village in Boda upazila, told this correspondent that they did threshing and drying of paddy and wheat on the metalled roads to keep the colour of the crops fresh. The crops get dirty because they get mixed with earth and sand if they are threshed on open fields or in the yards. 

Besides, after threshing paddy alongside the road we can take the produce to the market directly, which saves time and carrying cost, he added.   

Md Selim, a lecturer of Balarampur College in Atway upazila of Panchagarh, said he goes to the college from Thakurgaon town on a motorbike through Thakurgaon-Farabari road. "During this season, it is a nightmare to ride my motorbike as the road is covered with straw and paddy. Last year, I met an accident as my bike slipped and fell on the road," he said.

Another motorbike rider, Mokbular Rahman of Madrashapara in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila, said he narrowly escaped serious accident due to this menace on the road about a week ago. Locals urged the authorities concerned to take steps to stop threshing of paddy on the roads to avert road accidents and save lives of commuters. 

Hasan Ali, a truck driver, told this correspondent on Boda-Debiganj highway at Chandanbari village in Boda upazila that when he was taking stones from Banglabandha Land Port to Dhaka, he could not drive normally, fearing an accident .   

Contacted, Abul Kalam Azad, superintendent of police of Panchagarh, said over cell phone that the roads are maintained by the Roads and Highways, LGED or Zila Parishad. If they seek help to clear the roads, law enforcers will do the job.