Kamal Sarkar, Gouripur (Mymensingh) Correspondent: Due to the lack of a culvert in Ramkrishnapur village of Mawha union of Gouripur upazila of Mymensingh, permanent waterlogging has been occurring for almost two years, causing serious damage to the crops of more than fifty farmers. It has been alleged that Abdul Gani (40), son of the deceased Abdul Kadduche of that village, forcibly filled the only ring culvert provided by the Gangra Union Parishad with soil, which is causing this problem for the farmers. This has destroyed the paddy and other agricultural crops of local farmers, as well as the fish farmers.
Farmers are being forced to leave most of their land fallow due to artificial permanent waterlogging. 51 affected farmers have filed a written complaint with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer seeking redress for the incident. Local farmers held a protest march and rally in the area on Wednesday (September 12) demanding a solution to the problem by installing culverts to alleviate the waterlogging.
Local affected farmers Ali Usman (50), Abdur Rahman (75), country email list Montaz Uddin (65), Abul Ayesh (40), Shamsuddin (55), Islam Uddin (65), Amshar Ali (80), Abdul Jabbar (65), Ekhlas Mia (45), Liton Mia (38), Harun Or Rashid (35) and many others said that since long before the time of their ancestors, during the monsoon season, rainwater used to flow through the land of local Abdur Rahim and go down to the Chairbhanga Beel. About twenty years ago, a ring culvert was installed at the mentioned place at the initiative of the Union Parishad to build a dirt road through that place and for water flow. About two years ago, Abdul Gani Gangra forcibly filled the aforementioned ring culvert with dirt, which is causing permanent waterlogging. As a result, 51 local farmers are facing financial losses of about 2 million taka every season as their rice fields, including 10 acres of land, have been destroyed and fish farmers' ponds have been submerged.
Many poor farming families have become helpless as they are unable to grow crops. Local farmers also said that the aforementioned Abdul Gani Gangra is a rioter and anti-social. Although several court sessions have been held in the area in the presence of local public representatives and dignitaries, the problem has not been resolved. Therefore, the affected farmers have sought urgent intervention from the administration to solve this problem.
When asked about this, Abdul Gani said that during the monsoon season, the rainwater from the two mentioned neighborhoods flowed exclusively through the land of his uncle Abdur Rahim, which would damage their crops during drought. For this reason, they filled the ring culvert with soil.
Stating the truth of the incident, Mawha Union Chairman Ramiz Uddin Swapan told reporters that despite several attempts to resolve the waterlogging in the area, he failed. Therefore, he was forced to advise the victims to inform the Upazila Nirbahi Officer.