Self-reliant thru' cattle rearing

Many people in the Teesta and Dharla river basin char (landmass emerging from riverbed) areas have achieved solvency through rearing cattle.

They, however, sometimes complain that they do not get fair prices for their cattle and milk in the remote char markets of the district.

“We rear cows, buffalo, sheep and goats as open grass fields are available in the char areas for seven to eight months in a year,” char people said.

Farmer Kayum Ali, 48, of Dharla river basin Char Dharmopal in Sadar upazila, said he has seven cows, including two milk cows, and he rears them in the open grass fields in the char. “I get five litres of milk that I sell for Tk 200 in the local market,” he said, adding that he sells the milk for Tk 40 per litre in the char, while the price is Tk 50 per litre in the mainland.

“We are also compelled to sell our cattle at lower prices in the char markets than in the mainland markets as we have no access to the mainland market,” he said, adding that he became solvent through rearing cattle.

Safiar Rahman, 52, said, he earns around Tk two lakh a year through rearing cattle. “Of course, we face trouble rearing cattle during the rainy season as the grass fields in the char area get flooded,” he said, adding that they use stocked fodder for their cattle during rainy period.

Amena Begum, 48, of Char Shiberkuti said they have nine goats and five cows. “We earn around Tk 50 thousand from selling goats every year, and most of the money is spent for education of my four children,” she added.

“We gather grass from the char areas for our three milk cows,” said Nurnahar Begum, 42, of Char Kulaghat. “We go out every day after breakfast to collect fodder and come back at noon,” she added.

Nazrul Islam, 55, of Teesta river basin Char Narsingh in Aditmari upazila, said they get fair prices for cattle in the mainland markets, but they cannot go there for lack of easy communication. “We are compelled to sell our cattle at low prices,” he said, adding that char people are dependent on cattle rearing and agricultural farming.

District Livestock Officer Nasir Uddin Khan said at least 20 thousand families at Teesta and Dharla river char areas rear at least two lakh cattle, mainly cows and goats. “Livestock officials visit char areas and provide support to the char people for rearing cattle properly,” he said.