Md. Zarif Hossain, Chapainawabganj
A young agricultural entrepreneur has set an example of responsibility towards farmers by constructing an underground drainage system at his own expense to address long-standing waterlogging affecting around 1,000 bighas of cropland in Pauli area of Jhilim Union under Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila.
The initiative by Umar Faruk has enabled excess monsoon water from five fields to flow quickly and smoothly into a canal, protecting crops from waterlogging and bringing relief to thousands of local farmers.
According to local farmers, residents and the agriculture department, monsoon water from at least five fields to the south, south-east and south-west of the Amanura area passes through a culvert on the Nawabganj-Amanura road. As there was previously no designated drainage system, large volumes of water flowed directly over paddy fields. As a result, low-lying farmland was inundated and crops were damaged, causing heavy losses to farmers.
To provide a permanent solution to the problem, agricultural entrepreneur Umar Faruk came forward. He filled his fallow land beside the culvert and installed cast-concrete pipes underground using a modern drainage system to allow the water to pass through. The upper part of the land can now be used while the drainage channel underneath remains fully operational.
Umar Faruk said, “I am also a farmer, so I understand the suffering of farmers. Water always accumulated on this land between the culvert and the government canal, making it impossible to grow any crops. I had planned to fill the land and develop a fruit orchard, but I did not step back after considering the need to drain water from around 1,000 bighas of farmland in five surrounding fields. I spent around Tk 7-8 lakh from my own pocket to construct the long underground drain. Now crops can be grown on the land while the farmers’ drainage water flows continuously underneath.”
Jhilim Union chairman Lutfor Rahman said the humanitarian and timely initiative by Faruk had brought about a major change in local agriculture.
“Previously, it took five to six days for the water to drain away. Now it takes only one to two days,” he said. “The drain has protected around 1,000 bighas of cropland. What should have been done by the government, he has built on his own initiative and at his own expense on his own land. We thank agricultural entrepreneur Umar Faruk for this.”
Local farmer Rahmat Ali said crops on nearly 1,000 bighas of low-lying farmland were now being protected from damage as water no longer flowed over the paddy fields.
With a permanent solution to the waterlogging problem, hundreds of local farmers, including Tarek Rahman, Abdur Rahim and Abul Kalam Azad, have returned to farming with renewed enthusiasm.
Jasim Uddin, sub-assistant agricultural officer of Jhilim Union, said water previously flowed irregularly directly over the paddy fields. But the underground drain constructed by agricultural entrepreneur Umar Faruk at his own expense was now allowing the water to drain normally and efficiently.
“The drain is playing a highly effective role in protecting crops on around 1,000 bighas of land, as water is now flowing through it regularly without any obstruction,” he said. #EK
