Responding to the call of the upazila nirbahi officer, some 1,500 people from different walks of life have joined farmers voluntarily in harvesting Boro paddy in Jamalpur upazila of Sunamganj district.

Divided in eight teams, they joined the paddy harvest in different haors, including Pagnar, Hali and Mahalia, of the upazila from Tuesday morning after UNO Priyanka Paul made an appeal to this end.

The UNO and other officials concerned had urged people from all walks of life to extend their helping hand to the farmers so that they can harvest their paddy properly during this Boro season amid the nationwide shutdown following the coronavirus transmission.

They made the call through social networking site Facebook.

Teachers of different secondary and primary schools, including headmasters, former students, Ansar members, and shipping, sand and stone quarry workers are among the participants.

“As many have extended their helping hands, we hope it’ll be possible to harvest paddy before the flash flood hits the region,” UNO Priyanka Paul said.

Divisional Commissioner of Sylhet Mohammad Mashiur Rahman and Deputy Commissioner of Sunamganj Mohammad Abul Ahad visited the fields and encouraged the people who joined the paddy harvest.

Farmers in the upazila have been facing troubles due to the shortage of workers for harvesting paddy amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said Bangladesh would not face any food crisis “if we can harvest the paddy properly (this season)”.

She said it was an opportunity for day-labourers to earn money from paddy harvesting.