Farmers in Kishoreganj, the hub of agricultural activity in the region, are diligently preparing seedbeds for Boro rice cultivation, as they anticipate a bumper harvest this year. Agriculture is the primary livelihood source for many in the district and farmers are committed to the successful cultivation of Boro rice in the haor areas, barring any unforeseen natural calamities. With favourable weather conditions this year, farmers from all upazilas have started early preparations for sowing Boro paddy. As part of the proactive approach, farmers are preparing seedbeds for Boro-Aman paddies without taking risks. They are sourcing high-quality seeds from the agriculture office to ensure a strong start to the season. Ballooning number of crop protection dams in Sunamganj haor region raises concern According to the local farmers, late November to early December brings severe cold and dense fog, which poses a threat to the tender Boro rice seedlings, often destroying them in the seedbed. To avoid this, they have decided to begin seedbed preparation earlier than usual this year. The farmers have procured good quality seeds from the agricultural seed marketing offices. Seedbed preparation is already underway and farmers expect to begin planting soon. The agriculture department has advised farmers to prepare ideal seedbeds and procure quality seeds to enhance the chances of a fruitful harvest. The department also expressed confidence in meeting its Boro cultivation target this season, with expectations of higher-than-usual production. In Kishoreganj district, a total of 3,100 metric tons of seeds have been allocated for Boro cultivation. Currently, around 1,600 metric tons of seeds remain in stock, ensuring no shortage of seeds for farmers, according to the department sources. People in Chandpur suffer as demand for concrete bridge goes unheeded Authorities have also emphasised that strict legal action will be taken against any attempts to create an artificial seed crisis. AKM Moniruzzaman, deputy director of Seed Marketing in Kishoreganj said that the target for Boro cultivation this year is set at 168,100 hectares of land. “With favourable weather conditions, farmers are hopeful that this year’s harvest will surpass all previous records, with an expected output of approximately 737,020 metric tons of rice,” he said.

Miscreants hacked a farmer to death at Nawada Khadimpur village in Kushtia's Mirpur upazila early Monday. The deceased was identified as Rabiul Islam Rabi,48, son of late Muktar Biswas of Gangpara area of the village. Ismail Hossain, elder brother of the deceased, said that his brother was sleeping in his house at night. Also Read: Fruit seller hacked to death by miscreants in Chuadanga The miscreants entered the house around 12:30 am and stabbed him multiple times, leaving him seriously injured, he said. Relatives rescued him and admitted to Kushtia General Hospital. He died around 6:30 am on the way to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for better treatment. Also Read: Man hacked to death by son in Sylhet  Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mirpur Police Station Rafiqul Islam said that some people are being interrogated in connection with the murder. The body was sent to Kushtia General Hospital morgue for post-mortem, he added. Also Read: Village police hacked dead in Narail  

The body of a farmer was recovered from a canal hours after his attempt to steal fish from a pond in Baraigram upazila of Natore early Tuesday. Liakat Ali, 50, was son of Chayen Sarkar of Monpirit village in the upazila. Abu Siddque, officer-in-charge of Baraigram police station said Liakat, Halim Ali and Amir Chan went to steal fish from the pond at the village on Monday night. However, Halim was caught red-handed by a guard while the duo managed to flee, he said, adding Liakat had been missing since the incident.   Locals found his body lying on a side of the canal and informed police in the morning, he said. The body was sent to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

The government of Bangladesh has raised the prices of Urea, TSP, DAP and MOP fertilisers by Tk 5 per kg at both farmer and dealership levels. The new rates came into effect on Monday. The agriculture ministry issued an order in this regard on Monday following a letter sent by the finance department of the finance ministry. The prices have been refixed aiming to keep the fertilizer import at a rational level amid the hike in its prices at the international level and ensure optimum utilization of fertilizers, said the order. Read More: Cabinet body approves proposals for import of LNG, fertiliser and lentil At the farmers’ level, the price of per kg Urea has been raised to Tk 27 from Tk 22, DAP to Tk 21 from Tk 16, TSP to Tk 27 from Tk 22 and MOP to Tk 20 from Tk 15. Similarly, at the dealers’ level, the Urea price has been re-fixed at Tk 25 instead of Tk 20, DAP at Tk 19 instead of Tk 14, TSP at Tk 25 instead of Tk 20 and MOP at Tk 18 instead of Tk 13. The current price of Urea, DAP, TSP and MOP fertilisers in the international market is Tk 48, Tk 70, Tk 50 and Tk 60 per kg respectively. As a result, the government is still giving a subsidy of Tk 21 in Urea, Tk 49 in DAP, Tk 23 in TSP and Tk 40 in MOP per kg even after the latest price hike, said a media release of the agriculture ministry. Read More: Production at Shahjalal Fertiliser Company suspended for 2 months, causing Tk 50 lakh in losses daily Fertilizer prices were raised by 3-4 times in the global market in the last three years, resulting in hike in government subsidy in the country four times, it said. In the fiscal year 2020-21, the amount of subsidy was Tk 7,420 crore while it increased to TK 28 crore in 21-22 FY and in the running 2022-23 fiscal year, about Tk 46,000 crore will be required for subsidy. From 2008-09 to 2022-23 fiscal years, Tk 1,19,837 crore was spent as fertiliser subsidy.

Nandi Kumar Barman has been successful in cultivating various vegetables on the fallow land of Thakurgaon. He cultivated various vegetables on the 85 chhatak (over 1.5 bighas) vacant land in front of his house in the Zamindarpara of the municipal town. The vegetables produced on his land were able to meet his family’s needs and some of his neighbours' too. Nandi also said he benefited financially by selling the extra vegetables he cultivated. He was seen watering the vegetable fields and cleaning the weeds using modern equipment. There he cultivated various leafy vegetables including spinach, various types of grass, cucumbers etc. Nandi Kumar Barman said about three bighas (150 chhatak) of land in the Zamindarpara belonged to the late Taher Jamal Chowdhury. Some land here has been rented out to a private company (SERP) with a house on it. Also Read: Working at brick kiln, Thakurgaon’s Raju still managed to score GPA 5 in HSC As about 85 chhatak of land was lying vacant for a long time, Nandi planted red amarnath, spinach, napa cabbage, cucumber, and various varieties of grass there and made a profit. "Nandi’s cultivation of various vegetables on the fallow land is timely. If he wants, all kinds of support and advice would be given from the Department of Agriculture Extension,” said Md Sirajul Islam, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Thakurgaon. The target for the production of vegetables was set at 7,895 hectares of land in Thakurgaon this winter season. At present, almost all types of vegetables are in the market. Some more vegetables are under cultivation. There has been a good yield of vegetables this year and farmers are also getting fair prices, said the DAE official.      

The body of a 60-year-old farmer was found with injury marks from sharp weapons in a pile of logs in Sherpur Sadar upazila Friday morning, police said. The deceased was identified as Rafiq Miah from Bajitkhila union of the upazila. The farmers' family members said there had been a long-running feud between them and their neighbours – Kena, Omed Ali and Aungur Miah – over land. Read more: Barguna farmer commits suicide under weight of debt burden Rafiq left his house Thursday midnight and did not return, they said. Bachhir Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said: "On information, we rushed to the spot and recovered the body with injury marks from sharp weapons." The body has been sent to Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem, he said. "We will take action after we find out the actual cause of death."

A 55-year-old man killed himself after failing to repay loans from various NGOs in Sadar upazila of Barguna on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as farmer Dulal Matubbor, of the upazila. The police recovered his body hanging from a tree with a rope in Badarkhali village of Badarkhali union this morning, said Ali Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Barguna Sadar police station. Dulal might have committed suicide due to family feud following his failure to repay the loans from   NGOs, associations and locals, said Joint convener of Badarkhali Union Jubo League Md Al Amin. Read more: 2 farmers’ suicide for irrigation water: Agriculture secy vows strict action The OC said, “It is being investigated whether it is murder or suicide. Legal action will be taken following the investigation.” The body has been kept in Barguna Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy, he added.

The government has started disbursing TK 170 crore as incentives to boost Boro paddy production across the country. A total of 27 lakh farmers will get seeds and fertilisers under the programme, said a press release of the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday. The incentives are being disbursed in three categories. For boosting hybrid Boro production, 15 lakh farmers will get two kg seeds each spending Tk 82 crore of the incentives. Besides, 12 lakh more farmers will be beneficiary under the incentive of about Tk 73 crore for increasing the production of high-yielding varieties. Under it, a farmer will get 5 kg of seeds, 10 kg of DAP and 10 kg of MOP fertiliser required for cultivating one bigha land. Read more: Undisbursed portion of agriculture and rural loans will be disbursed to farmers by Bangladesh Bank body Apart from that, an incentive of Tk 15 crore will be given for simultaneous planting and harvesting of paddy in a field to facilitate the use of agricultural machinery. Under this, 110 blocks or exhibitions will be set up in 61 districts. Each exhibition will be held on 50 acres of land costing Tk 13.70 lakh. Read more: Floating vegetable farmers in Pirojpur devastated by low prices This incentives are being provided from the agriculture rehabilitation support sector under the regular budget of the Ministry of Agriculture. These incentives distribution programmes are ongoing at the field level and already about 50 percent of incentives have been disbursed.

The body of a Bangladeshi farmer, who was shot and tortured to death allegedly by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the Feni border on November 13, was handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Tuesday. The body was handed over through Bilonia Land port in Feni. Md Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Parshuram police station, said it was sent to Fenir Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. Read more: BSF hands over body of Bangladeshi cattle trader The deceased was Meshbar, 47, son of Mafizur Rahman of Uttar Guthuma village under the Parshuram upazila. Victim’s wife Morium and locals said the BSF picked him up from his cropland while he was harvesting paddy on November 13 afternoon. Morium alleged that the BSF members punched, kicked and beat him when he tried to resist them. At one stage, sound of firing was heard there. Later, the members of BGB and BSF held meetings for three times over the matter, but the BSF denied the allegation of picking him up. Read more: BSF hands over body of Bangladeshi teenager after 5 days The body of the farmer was found lying on the ‘Zero Line’ between the countries on November 16.

A Naogaon court on Wednesday sentenced 10 people, including five brothers, to life imprisonment for the 2013 murder of a farmer over the ownership of a deep tube well in Badalgachhi upazila. Judge Ferdous Wahid of Naogaon Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-2 gave the order during a hearing in the presence of the accused. He also fined them Tk20,000 each, in default of which they will have to serve two more years in jail, state lawyer Md Abdu Baki said. The court, however, cleared three people of charges as they were not proven guilty, he added. Read more: 5 get life term for murder in Faridpur The lifers are Kamruzzaman, his brothers Wahed Ali, Shamsuzzaman, Rocket and Dablu; Abdul Hamid and his brother Enamul Hoque; Mosharraf Hossain, Bajlur Rahman and Emdadul Hoque from the village Durgapur. Bajlur's wife Karima Begum, Enamul's wife Joly Akter and Md Jibon Ahmed of the same village were cleared of charges.  According to the case statement, two groups of villagers had been at loggerheads over the ownership of the deep tube well in Durgapur. A group of armed men led by Kamruzzaman swooped on farmer Ujjal Hossain and three others over it, leaving them critically injured, on May 9, 2013. Read more: 7 get life term for murder in Chattogram Ujjal succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital four days later. On the following day, the village's Deep Tube Well Association General Secretary Majharul Islam filed a murder case accusing 13 people at Badalgachhi Police Station.