Various types of crops are being produced in Rangpur. Collage Photo: BSS

By Md Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, Jan 16, 2025 (BSS) – Bumper production of various types of crops have brought smiles in the face of farmers in vast tract of char in Rangpur agricultural area as they have been contributing immensely to economy in the region by producing the crops every year. 

Statistics showed that the landless people and farmers have been producing more than 5,94,950 tonnes of various crops worth Taka 1,190 crore (approx) from 81,950 hectares of char lands and dried-up riverbeds in Rangpur agricultural region annually.
 
“Production of varieties crops in char lands during the winter season keeps the char economy vibrant bringing fortune to many people living there,” Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) for Rangpur region Md Obaidur Rahman Mondal told BSS recently.
 
Like in the previous years, many char people are hoping to get a bumper harvest of their cultivated winter crops in char lands and dried-up riverbeds during the current Rabi season too.
   
As harvest of their cultivated winter crops has already begun with excellent yields, they are happy to lead a comparatively better life getting fair prices of their produces in local markets.
 
Harvest of early varieties of onions, vegetables, pumpkin and dozens of other varieties of winter crops continues on char lands and dried-up riverbeds and the process will end by late May next.
 
“Char people have brought about a revolutionary change in the agro-economy through cultivating crops, mostly adopting intercropping and mixed-relay methods, on char lands and dried-up riverbeds," Mondal said.
 
Along with increasing food production by cultivating various crops on sandy char lands, char people are reaping rewarding profits from harvesting various crops to lead a better life with a dream of educating their children to make them worthy citizens.
  
“During the current season, landless char and riverside people, small and marginal farmers have cultivated crops on around 82,000 hectares of char lands in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts across the region,” he said.
 
They have cultivated varieties of crops like potato, sweet pumpkin, sesame, linseed, squash, brinjal, onion, carrot, garlic, radish, green chili, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, banana, mustard, pulses, cauliflower, cabbage, mustard, sunflower, groundnut, wheat, maize, indigenous varieties of Boro rice and vegetables on char lands.   
  
“As a result, wherever you look in the char areas, you can see a feast of vast greenery. The chars are now filled with gardens of greenery. Hundreds of men, women and people living in char areas are seen nursing or harvesting their crops,” Mondal added.
 
Deputy Director at Burirhat Horticulture Centre in Rangpur of the DAE Agriculturist Md Abu Sayem said crop cultivation on char lands and silted-up riverbeds continued increasing in the region during the past three decades. 
 
“Expanded cultivation of crops on char lands has changed fortunes of many landless, char and riverside people and marginal farmers living in char areas and on the Teesta, Dharla, Brahmaputra, Jamuna and other river banks in Rangpur agricultural region,” he said.
              
Talking to BSS, people living in char villages of Gannarpar, Kolkond, Bagdohra, Purbo Mohipur, Paschim Mohipur and Chhalapak in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur said they are busy now in harvesting and taking care of growing crops on char lands.
   
Like last year, riverside farmer Nur Hossain of village Purbo Mohipur in the upazila has cultivated maize, potato, garlic and onion in 1.50 acres of char lands on the dried-up Teesta river beds this season.
 
“The crops are growing superbly amid favorable climatic conditions,” he said, adding that he is expecting a super bumper production of these crops this season.
 
Similarly, Shahinur Islam of the same riverside village in the upazila said he has cultivated various crops like ‘Khira’, green chilli, maize and other crops on two acres of the dried-up beds of the Teesta this season.
 
“Last year, I earned a net profit of Taka 1.50 lakh by cultivating the same crops, excluding all expenses after completing harvest,” said Shahinur and hoped that he would earn more this season.