শুক্রবার, ০৬ নভেম্বর ২০২৬, ০১:২২ অপরাহ্ন
RANGPUR, Nov 5, 2026 (BSS) – Much like in previous years, people living in riverine areas have resumed cultivating varieties of winter crops on char lands using intercropping methods in Rangpur agricultural region, in the hope of improving fortunes.
According to experts, locals, and officials from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), people have begun preparing land for cultivation on newly emerged chars and dried-up riverbeds, areas formed by
the extensive accumulation of silt during floods.
Additional Director of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Saiful
Islam said that people living along the riverbanks in five districts of the
region have recently been cultivating various crops annually on over 82,000
hectares of char lands.
In recent times, approximately 600,000 metric tons of crops, valued at around
Taka 1,200 crore, are being produced annually from 82,000 hectares of
charlands in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari
districts across the region.
“Despite the adverse impacts and severe blows of climate change on the lives
of people living in the riverine char areas, the production of a wide variety
of winter crops in abundance has kept the local char economy vibrant and
effectively improved their standard of living,” he said.
Following the recession of floodwaters, eager farmers are now preparing to
sow crop seeds on the riverbank areas, sandbars and silt-laden riverbeds of
the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Dudhkumar, Ghaghot, Jamuna, Kartoa and other
rivers in the region.
Landless, poor, and marginalized farmers living in riverine chars and along
riverbanks typically cultivate a variety of crops each year on these lands,
including potatoes, squash, pumpkins, cucumber, eggplants, green chilies,
onions, garlic, maize, peanuts, sesame, tobacco, bananas, various pulses, and
watermelons.
In the coming days, they will begin sowing winter crop seeds and starting
from late December, will commence harvesting the crops, ensuring the entire
process is completed by May of next year, before the onset of the monsoon
season,” said Saiful Islam.
Hundreds of people living in riverine islands and along riverbanks, who face
the risk of flooding every year, have made a concerted effort to cultivate
winter crops across these areas, utilizing both the land on the river islands
and the exposed, dried-up riverbeds.
Krishibid Dr Md Mamunur Rashid, consultant for the Rupantar Project of
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Bangladesh, said that crop
cultivation in the char areas has become a highly profitable venture,
bringing prosperity to many people who reside there amidst adverse impacts of
climate change.
Thousands of people living in hundreds of char villages and along the
riverbanks across five districts of the Rangpur agricultural region are
increasingly cultivating diverse winter crops on these char lands, primarily
by employing intercropping methods.
“On the sandy chars as well as in dried-up riverbeds of the Brahmaputra,
Dharla, Teesta, and other rivers, the local inhabitants are growing potatoes,
pumpkins, onions, garlic, green chilies, mustard, pulses, and a variety of
many winter vegetables,” he said.
Getting assistance from the government through the DAE, many char families
have already achieved self-reliance through farming various crops on char
lands changing their living standard and livelihoods in recent years.
Talking to BSS, Nur Islam, Golam Mostafa, Kabija Khatun, and Morsheda Begum
of Char Mohipur village in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur said that they are
preparing to sow seeds for winter crops on the char lands on the Teesta
riverbeds.
Baktar Ali and Momena Begum from Char Taluk Shahbaz village and Abdul Malek
from Dhushmara Char in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur mentioned that following the
good profits they earned last year, they are once again planting pumpkin
seeds in char areas.
Similarly, Abu Saddam, Abdul Hamid, and Sajedul Islam from Char Debrikhola
Jankarchair village in Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram said that they have
prepared their char lands to sow various winter crop seeds within the next
few days this season.
Like in previous years, they are anticipating a bumper harvest this time too.
