Jhenidah

Labour crisis hits paddy harvesting

A severe labour crisis has hit Aman paddy harvesting in the six upazilas of Harinakundu, Shoilkupa, Kaliganj, Kotchandpur, Moheshpur and Jhenidah Sadar this season.  Farmers of the district are paying extra to have the paddy cut but the labour crisis is posing problems even then. Often, an entire day is wasted simply to find labourers to cut the paddy or transport the harvest. On the other hand, one of the country’s biggest festivals—‘Nabanna Utshob’—has already started in Jhenidah and the other districts of Bangladesh. In most districts, farmers try to harvest the paddy during this time. As a result, a labour crisis makes harvesting difficult, especially in Jhenidah.

Experts told this correspondent there were two types of labourers in Jhenidah district. One is the regular labourer, who survives on this occupation, and the other is the seasonal labourer, comprising people who do this job only on special occasions during the year. Seasonal labourers not only come from the same place or the same district but also from nearby districts. Sometimes they come to do the work on a contract basis. They also come in groups.

Farmers usually prefer seasonal workers because they are said to be fast in completing their job. This is because they have the urge to go back home or take up another contract to earn more money.

The shortage of labourers has created a difficult situation in the whole of Jhenidah district. While on the one hand harvesting is not progressing as fast as farmers would like, labour costs have gone, up on the other, in the six upazilas.

 Kalam Mandol, a farmer of Tentultola Bazaar, said he had to wait for 3–5 days to get farm labourers. To hire them, the farmers are offering extra wages and other facilities.

Sources say the upazila farmers are facing an extra problem, as most of the labourers come from villages and urban areas, expecting better wages and extra facilities. Zafar Sheikh, a farmer of Dignagar village, said labourers’ wages were normally Tk 260–280 with lunch. A few days ago, it had gone up to TK 320–350 with lunch, and currently it is Tk 400–600 with lunch.

While some farmers are ready to give the highest wages, labourers are still not immediately available to cut the paddy. The workers are arriving about a week after the contract day. As a result, this reason, local people say, the amount of ‘Chita Dhan’ is increasing in the paddy. In another trend, the number of woman labourers is growing significantly in the six upazila’s.

Dr Khan Moniruzzaman, acting deputy director of the district agriculture office, said the crisis should be over in 15–20 days. He said the crisis was the most acute at the beginning of the harvest season but was expected to ease subsequently.

 

 

Jhenidah

Labour crisis hits paddy harvesting

A severe labour crisis has hit Aman paddy harvesting in the six upazilas of Harinakundu, Shoilkupa, Kaliganj, Kotchandpur, Moheshpur and Jhenidah Sadar this season. Farmers of the district are paying extra to have the paddy cut but the labour crisis is posing problems even then. Often, an entire day is wasted simply to find labourers to cut the paddy or transport the harvest. On the other hand, one of the countrys biggest festivalsNabanna Utshobhas already started in Jhenidah and the other districts of Bangladesh. In most districts, farmers try to harvest the paddy during this time. As a result, a labour crisis makes harvesting difficult, especially in Jhenidah. Experts told this correspondent there were two types of labourers in Jhenidah district. One is the regular labourer, who survives on this occupation, and the other is the seasonal labourer, comprising people who do this job only on special occasions during the year. Seasonal labourers not only come from the same place or the same district but also from nearby districts. Sometimes they come to do the work on a contract basis. They also come in groups. Farmers usually prefer seasonal workers because they are said to be fast in completing their job. This is because they have the urge to go back home or take up another contract to earn more money. The shortage of labourers has created a difficult situation in the whole of Jhenidah district. While on the one hand harvesting is not progressing as fast as farmers would like, labour costs have gone, up on the other, in the six upazilas. Kalam Mandol, a farmer of Tentultola Bazaar, said he had to wait for 35 days to get farm labourers. To hire them, the farmers are offering extra wages and other facilities. Sources say the upazila farmers are facing an extra problem, as most of the labourers come from villages and urban areas, expecting better wages and extra facilities. Zafar Sheikh, a farmer of Dignagar village, said labourers wages were normally Tk 260280 with lunch. A few days ago, it had gone up to TK 320350 with lunch, and currently it is Tk 400600 with lunch. While some farmers are ready to give the highest wages, labourers are still not immediately available to cut the paddy. The workers are arriving about a week after the contract day. As a result, this reason, local people say, the amount of Chita Dhan is increasing in the paddy. In another trend, the number of woman labourers is growing significantly in the six upazilas. Dr Khan Moniruzzaman, acting deputy director of the district agriculture office, said the crisis should be over in 1520 days. He said the crisis was the most acute at the beginning of the harvest season but was expected to ease subsequently.