The irrigation canal dug by Bangladesh Agriculture development corporation (BADC) at Mohshpur upazila in Jhenidah became a treat for farmers of five villages and damaging crops for Taka several lakhs every year.
Non-discharging of rainwater from the fields in those villages during season was mainly liable for the situation. But the canal might pay role in agriculture productions round the year, said the farmers. The farmers of Purandarpur, Krishnachandrapur, Saratala, Khalishpur and Goalhuda said president Ziaur Rahman had dug the canal as a part of his nation wide canal digging programme in 1981 aiming at discharging rain water.
But the canal was almost occupied by a section of unscrupulous people and they have started cultivating crops on the canal beds.
They saw a number of ponds were made on the canal beds near the jame mosque at Goalhuda village blocking the way of water flow. Some locals said the examines of secondary school certificate (SSC) examination had to answer the compulsory question for 10 marks during the examination.
Serajul Islam, chairman of Fatepur Union Parishad. said they had applied to the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) at Moheshpur on February 18 of 2018 requesting re-excavate the canal for the interest of the people including the farmers as huge crops croplands go under rainwater in the monsoon.
Standing crops for Taka several lakhs are damaged during the time, while if the canal could be re-excavated, it could play role in saving the farmers from the regular loss o crops. Sub assistant engineer (SAE) of Minor Irrigation Project of Bangladesh agriculture development corporation (BADC) in Kotchandpur unit SM Abdullah Al Mamun when contacted said they had made survey of the almost dead canal and brought the matter in to the notice of their higher authorities as “top priority”.
They are hopefully expecting re-excavation of Ziakhal at an early time, SAE said.
