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Narrow Kachua Khal

Farmers in Muktagachha happy at initiatives for re-excavation of the canal

Our Correspondent, Mymensingh
Thousands of farmers in Muktagachha upazila are happy as initiatives have been taken to re-excavate the Kachua Khal, a local canal that has become almost dead due to land grabbing.
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) will re-excavate the three-kilometre canal under Minor Irrigation Development Project for Mymensingh Division and Tangaii and Kishoreganj of Dhaka Division.
The canal is an outlet to the local Sutia river for water coming from different areas during the rainy season. It has been grabbed by influential local people over the years, locals alleged.
Tara Mia, a farmer of Sonargaon village,
told this correspondent that they could not harvest their Boro crop this year due to waterlogging in the area. Farmers Yunus Ali, Kader Mia and Dulal also expressed their unhappiness about the loss in the Boro season this year.
"We could not transplant Aman in the adjacent low-lying areas this season and the menace has become more serious in the last 10 years," they said.
Farmers will be benefitted round the year as different crops and vegetables will be saved from waterlogging if the canal is re-excavated, said Kashimpur Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Iftekhar Rasul Chowdhury Sumon.
Boro and Aman cultivation on around 800 acres of land is being disrupted due to waterlogging in the area, he said.
The canal was excavated in the 1980's but became filled up with sand over the years, making it narrow, said UP Member Amzad Hossain.
"Taking advantage of the situation, the grabbers became active over the years, but we have convinced them to free the grabbed land for re-excavation of the canal," the member said.
Around 15,000 farmers in 20 villages, including Berulia, Nimuria, Suhila, Palgaon Sonargaon and Paipara, have been the worst sufferers due to waterlogging for years together, Amzad said.
They urged the authorities concerned several times to take steps to solve the longstanding problem, but nothing was done, the member said, adding that they
are happy about the initiative taken by BADC to re-excavate the canal.
High officials of BADC visited the areas and exchanged views with the effected farmers on July 23. The officials said the canal would be re-excavated considering the prevailing waterlogging in the area and the work will start in October this year, said Project Director MdBadrul Alam.
The re-excavation work will take three months to complete, he said.
Ministry of Agriculture Joint Secretary Md Abdul Jalil, BADC Chief Engineer Ferdousur Rahman, Superintendent Engineer Md Mahmudul Hasan and Executive Engineer Mizanur Rahman were present, among others.