The New Nation - Internet Edition

Zakir Hossain from Borguna

In absence of reforms and proper care, about 228 seed houses in four southern districts of Borguna, Patuakhali, Pirojpur and Barisal have lost wherewithal to be used any more. Some of them have been ruined. These houses were constructed before independence of Bangladesh between 1963 and 1969 in the vacant lands, bordering union council offices, of both private land owners and the government.

Since the price of land was cheap at that time, the landowners having more than one acre of land under possession did not object to the construction of the seed houses. But being constructed in most cases at solitary places and at distant places lacking in good communication, farmers generally avoided going there to collect seeds. Thus, the warehouses became gradually abandoned.

Sources of Borguna agriculture office said, there are 32 seed houses in Borguna district of which seven are at ruins. Two seed houses at Kumrakhali of Badarkhali union and at Manshatoly of Gourichanna union have been occupied by the local people, all four seed houses at Bamna upazila, seven each at Amtoly upazila and at Patharghta upazila have become unfit to be used.

There are 85 such houses in Barisal district of which 14 out of 16 at sadar upazila have lost their usefulness. At Babuganj upazila, there are six houses, one has become the prey of the river erosion, one is still in use while four others are abandoned. Out of nine at Ujirpur, two are still useable; of nine houses at Gournadi, two are being used as Police camps, two are giving service and the remainder are of no use. At Bakerganj, there are 16 seed houses of which one is in the river, five are in service and 10 have lost its capability. Similar conditions prevail in most of the seed houses situated in Patuakhali and Pirojpur districts.

Farmers of the areas said that they would have been much benefited if sub-assistant agriculture offices were set up after reforming.