Boro cultivation has started in full swing in the lower reaches of Chatmohar in Pabna. Some farmers have already planted Boro seedlings. However, since there is a dispute between the farmers of some fields and the owners of the irrigators regarding the collection of one-fourth of the paddy due to the irrigation charges by the owners of the irrigators and it has not yet been resolved, there have been complaints that the owners of the irrigators are not giving water to the farmers' land. About fifteen to twenty deep tubewell owners have not yet supplied water to the farmer's land. In this regard, the farmers of Boyailmari area of the Upazila have given a written complaint to the Chatmohar Upazila executive officer, BADC officer and agriculture officer on December 19. Farmers are not able to plant Boro rice on about 4000 bighas of land as the matter is not settled. Paddy planting has already been delayed by almost a month due to the passage of the bill. As a result, the rice harvest will be delayed and the farmers fear that the paddy will drown if there is an early flood. In order to solve the problem, hundreds of farmers met Chatmohar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mumtaz Mahal again on Wednesday.
It is known that according to the custom of this area, previously the owners of irrigation machines used to get one fourth part of paddy as wages. The farmer also had to cut the paddy belonging to the owner of the irrigator. Farmers were losing year after year due to this. In order to save the farmers from losses, it was decided in the 2021 Upazila Irrigation Committee meeting that the farmers should pay 1 thousand 900 taka per bigha for deep tube wells and 1 thousand 950 taka per bigha for shallow tube wells. Leaflets were also distributed among the farmers at that time. But at the beginning of the season, the farmers want to pay one-fifth of the paddy to the owners of the irrigation machines at the end of the season without paying cash. Right before paddy ripening, the farmers were asked to give one-fifth of the paddy to the irrigation machine owners by miking in different villages, but the irrigation machine owners were angry. Some irrigation equipment owners held a meeting on May 4, 2022. Then they claimed that the Upazila Irrigation Committee fixed Tk 1,900 per bigha for deep tube wells and Tk 1,950 for shallow tube wells but did not give any notice to the owners of the irrigation equipment. Even at the beginning of the season, the Upazila Irrigation Committee did not give any notice to the owners of the irrigation equipment. No farmer paid money for irrigating the land then. They asked the farmers to give one-fifth of the rice by miking just before harvesting, and they questioned what kind of rule it is. The owners of irrigation machines took one-fourth of the paddy and somewhere else one-fifth of the paddy last season due to irregularity.
The problem became apparent in the current season. Farmers of Boilermari area of Upazila complained that former MP Shamsuddin Khabir irrigated about 600 bigha of land through three deep tube wells in Boilermari area. Since the beginning of this season, he has been telling farmers to plant in exchange for one-fourth of the paddy. As the farmer does not agree to this, he is not giving water to the farmer's land in the deep tubewell area under his control. As a result farmers are not able to cultivate Boro. Other deep tubewell owners in the vicinity are waiting to see what the decision comes, not irrigating the land.
Tariqul Islam, a farmer of Boyail Mari village, said that last year, I planted one-fifth of the rice in exchange. Now why should I give one fourth part of paddy. Although there is a provision to give money in the meeting of the irrigation committee, the fear of the farmer is that after receiving the money, the owner of the irrigator may not give water for drinking properly. If necessary, we will give advance money to the deep tube well owner but we, the farmers, will manage the deep tube wells. Sekender Ali said, we will plant only if the owner of the irrigation machine takes one fifth of the paddy. I will not give a quarter of rice.
Abdul Hamid, a farmer of the same village, said that as the matter was not resolved, the planting of paddy was delayed by a month. If there is more delay, there is a fear of drowning the paddy in the early flood. The matter needs to be resolved quickly. Otherwise, about four thousand bighas of land in this area may remain uncultivated.
In this regard, Shamsuddin Khabir, the owner of the deep tube well, said that it is not right to not give water to the farmers' land. I have taken the electrical connection of the tubewell. I am also giving water. But no farmer is paying. 90 percent of the farmers are showing reluctance to cultivate Boro by paying fixed rate. Some farmers want to plant one-fifth with paddy. I am not above the law. Let the farmer cultivate the Boro by paying according to the law. If necessary, pay the money in two installments. Two or four farmers are misleading others. If necessary, I have no objection to deep tube wells by farmer committee. Hope this will be resolved soon.
Chatmohar Upazila Agriculture Officer AA Masum Billah said that irrigation charges have been increased a little. In fact, there is no opportunity to go out of irrigation in exchange for money. We will talk to farmers and deep tube well owners on Thursday for coordination in this matter.
In this regard, Upazila Irrigation Committee President and Chatmohar Upazila Executive Officer Mumtaz Mahal said that we are trying hard to resolve the matter. I hope to solve it soon.