1,500 acres farmland under stagnant water

Several thousand people in Kamalerpara union under Saghata upazila in Gaibandha district are suffering as closure of a sluice gate by a land grabber caused water stagnation on 1500 acres of cultivable land in adjacent eight villages.
Farmers of these areas could not cultivate Aman crop in the current season while huge Aman seedlings planted earlier were damaged due to the water stagnation.
Claiming ownership of the piece of land, the alleged land grabber, Nurul Islam forcibly closed the sluice gate by earth-filling the outlet at Burerjan.
As a result, 1500 acres of land in adjacent eight villages has remained under water for the last two months and farmers of the villages could not cultivate Aman crop.
Local people have continued agitation programmes including demonstration and rally for opening the outlet shortly.
The affected villagers on Thursday formed a human chain on Gaibandha-Bonarpara road.
Speakers at a protest meeting there warned of greater agitation programme including hartal if the sluice gate is not opened immediately.
Earlier local people complained to Saghata upazila nirbahi officer and Gaibandha deputy commissioner, but the situation has not changed.
People of Kaichara, Shimulbari, Mongolpara and Jangalia villages dug a canal on government khas land to help release stagnant water from the areas and the LGED constructed a sluice gate on the canal to ease the process.
Excavation of canal helped to make cultivable 800 acres of land in four villages.
Later more 700 acres of land in adjacent villages of Silmonerpara, Barokona, Gargaria, Hapania were also benefited through the canal.