Labour crisis hits paddy harvesting in Jhenidah

A severe labour crisis has hit cutting as well as harvesting of boro paddy in six upazilas of Jhenidah—Harinakundu, Shoilkupa, Kalgianj, Kotchandpur, Moheshpur and Jhenidah Sadar—this season.
Farmers of the district have to pay excess money to cut their own paddy, but sometimes the labour crisis causes them immense suffering. On occasions, entire days are lost in just gathering labourers to cut the paddy or transporting and harvesting it.
Experts told this correspondent that there are two types of labourers in Jhenidah district. One is the regular kind of labourer, who survives on the basis of this occupation, and the other type is the seasonal labourer, who works only on special occasions in a year.
Seasonal labour does not only come from the same place or the same district. It comes from many other districts or nearby districts. Such labourers come to finish the work on a contractual basis. They often also come to work in groups.
Ratan Mia, a farmer of Bishoikhali Bazaar, said he has to wait for three to five days till the field labour becomes free. The farmers rent them, giving them extra wages and other facilities.
Sources said farmers of the upazila are facing additional problems with the labourers, since most of the labourers come from villages and urban areas. Many labourers from villages and urban areas come to Jhenidah upazila as they get extra facilities from the farmers.
Another farmer, Hussen Ali of Chutliya village, told this correspondent that a labourer’s wages were normally Tk. 260 to Tk. 280 with lunch. A few days ago, it was Tk. 320 to Tk. 350 with lunch. Nowadays, it has increased to Tk. 400 to Tk. 430 with lunch.

 

 

Labour crisis hits paddy harvesting in Jhenidah

A severe labour crisis has hit cutting as well as harvesting of boro paddy in six upazilas of JhenidahHarinakundu, Shoilkupa, Kalgianj, Kotchandpur, Moheshpur and Jhenidah Sadarthis season. Farmers of the district have to pay excess money to cut their own paddy, but sometimes the labour crisis causes them immense suffering. On occasions, entire days are lost in just gathering labourers to cut the paddy or transporting and harvesting it. Experts told this correspondent that there are two types of labourers in Jhenidah district. One is the regular kind of labourer, who survives on the basis of this occupation, and the other type is the seasonal labourer, who works only on special occasions in a year. Seasonal labour does not only come from the same place or the same district. It comes from many other districts or nearby districts. Such labourers come to finish the work on a contractual basis. They often also come to work in groups. Ratan Mia, a farmer of Bishoikhali Bazaar, said he has to wait for three to five days till the field labour becomes free. The farmers rent them, giving them extra wages and other facilities. Sources said farmers of the upazila are facing additional problems with the labourers, since most of the labourers come from villages and urban areas. Many labourers from villages and urban areas come to Jhenidah upazila as they get extra facilities from the farmers. Another farmer, Hussen Ali of Chutliya village, told this correspondent that a labourers wages were normally Tk. 260 to Tk. 280 with lunch. A few days ago, it was Tk. 320 to Tk. 350 with lunch. Nowadays, it has increased to Tk. 400 to Tk. 430 with lunch.