The New Nation - Internet Edition

The ripe sickles glittered like pure gold. But before I could formulate my query Zarina piped up: 'These are our local paddy. Nowadays very few people cultivate this variety. Look, aren't these grains beautiful……' This is not a tale of a long lost past. Even a few years back Bangladesh could boast of not only its golden fiber but also of over a hundred variety of local paddy. A prey to international political ploys involving imported rice seeds and fertilizers the country's cultivable land is rapidly loosing its fertility.

Bangladesh ranks 4th amongst the rice producing countries of the world. In spite of using 47 hi-breed seeds the country is still faced with food shortage. Every year's floods, excessive rain and droughts result in destruction of crops. Year after year the brave farmers do their utmost to counter this loss; they dream with renewed zeal as they repeatedly aspire to overcome their plight. But how will they fight their battles if the land of the whole country looses its fertility; how will they even procure an opportunity to dream once again?

It is now up to us to save this land of immense possibility. This is high time indeed. Because if we fail in our endeavour now it won't be very long before Bangladeshi people would be queuing up before a foreign donor's truck for a handful of rice.

Photos: Kakoli Prodhan

Text: Humaira Fatima / DrikNEWS