Tobacco cultivation booms in lieu of Boro

Massive tobacco cultivation is going on in the proposed command area of Barendra Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) at Mahabbat Bazitpara village in Nilphamari Sadar upazila as BMDA is yet to activate full swing irrigation in the concerned project.

The situation is such as the contractor has been making delays to complete the construction of the project's irrigation network to facilitate Boro cultivation.

The Agriculture Department and BMDA strongly discourage tobacco cultivation and do not provide any logistic support due to its adverse effects on the environment and human health.

BMDA zonal office sources in Nilphamari informed that they appointed a contractor to implement a new irrigation project in Bazitpara village in the current fiscal year to supply water to 150-200 acres of land to facilitate the cultivation of Boro and other recommended crops extracting waters from nearby Burikhora river.

By this time, a one-kilometre-long underground pipeline has already been set up but the construction works of many outlets, reservoirs and drawing electric connection remain incomplete.

The incomplete works thus stand on the way to start smooth irrigation to farmers in the present Boro season which is going to expire shortly.

Farmers said finding no way, they cultivated tobacco in the proposed project area as it needs less irrigation, availability of free technical support and interest-free loans offered by big tobacco companies.

BMDA though selected a president cum operator of farmers' group and set a target to irrigate 150-200 acres, the slow pace of work makes the desired goal a far cry, beneficiary farmers said.

The farmers said they knew that BMDA would not allow tobacco cultivation in its command area but despite knowing the harmful effects of tobacco cultivation, they have cultivated it as it will enable them to buy foodstuff for their families.

Farmer Fuad Ali who cultivated tobacco on two bighas of land said it is uncertain how long it would take to start the irrigation.

"Soil of the village is good for tobacco and we have been cultivating it for years," said another farmer Azaharul Islam.

Mofizul Islam Montu, president cum operator of the farmers' group, said they were optimistic to get irrigation water in the present Boro season.

The Assistant engineer and also in-charge of BMDA in Nilphamari zone Alamgir Md Ruhul Islam said "Farmers cultivated tobacco in the proposed command area as we are yet to commence irrigation. The project though was supposed to start from 2021-2022 fiscal year, farmers are likely to get full irrigation from next year."