Clicky
National

Tobacco cultivation in Barind region threatens environment


Published : 27 Aug 2019 08:25 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 11:51 AM

The cultivation of tobacco was increasing in Rajshahi gradually. Last year, 35 bighas of land was brought under tobacco cultivation but this year it has been increased to 80 bighas. Moreover, more land is being leased out to increase tobacco cultivation in Rajshahi during the next season.

Completely being unaware of adverse impact on environment and land fertility, farmers of Kadamsahar, Damkura, Mohanur and Bamangram of Godagari have cultivated tobacco in 40-bighas of land this year.

It is learnt, some tobacco farmers of Kushtia have leased out land in Barind region of Godagari and started cultivation of tobacco. For thousands of years, farmers of Barind region are used to cultivate crops like paddy, mustard, pulse, wheat, fruits like mango, litchi and jackfruit and edible vegetables but due to cultivation of tobacco in the region, the age-old cropping pattern of Barind region is going to be changed.

The company people who are cultivating tobacco, are making the local farmers trained on tobacco cultivation and encouraged the farmers to cultivate it. Two tobacco refineries or processing units have also been built up at Kadamsahar where one kilogramme of tobacco is being sold at taka 180 to 200.

Abdul Alim, a farmer of Kadamshahar area informed, he once went to visit Kushtia and came to learn bidi and cigarettes were prepared from the tobacco being cultivated there. Learning the process of cultivation of tobacco from the farmers there, he also started cultivation of tobacco in his fields. Now, he was selling tobacco leaves at taka 150 to 200 per kilogramme.

Meanwhile, some people from Kushtia have also learnt to lease land at Kadamshahar village and were cultivating tobacco there.

Requesting annonimity, some companies from Kushtia were leasing nearly 80 bighas of land and were employing local farmers to cultivate tobacco at Kadamshahar. He further informed, two families from Kushtia and one local person have made two tobacco processing industries there. They were also purchasing tobacco from Rajshahi and were selling those to Kushtia.

An official of Rajshahi Agriculture Extension Department did not agree to remark on whether tobacco cultivation was legal in Rajshahi or not but he did not agree to comment on the subject. He only commented, the growth of tobacco was good in Rajshahi.

Shams Bin Sharif, Media Officer of US based organisation Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids(CTFK) informed,  the fertility of land is decreased if tobacco is cultivated there. The tobacco plant and processing units also cause serious harm for environment. Specially, the children who are employed in plucking and processing of tobacco leaves are attacked with various incurable diseases like breathing problems, cancer, tumour and respiratory tract infections.  He added, nearly 160,000 people died in the country in tobacco related diseases last year(2018)

Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury,  RCC Councillor of Ward-23 informed, he used to make the people conscious about bad effect of tobacco. Tobacco made Bidi, Cigarette and Gul were extremely harmful for health, he said. He demanded to stop cultivation of tobacco in Rajshahi immediately, if it is even profitable.

 Shafiqul Islam, Agriculture Officer in Godagari upazila informed,that he newly joined  Godagari and has no idea whether tobacco was being cultivated in some villages there. He, however, said he would see the matter and act accordingly.

Shimul Akhter, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Godagri informs, it requires permission to cultivate tobacco. If tobacco was cultivated anywhere in the upazila, action would be taken against the cultivators.