Solar power gives them better light in less cost
Fishermen in Kurigram chars get the benefit as NGO installs it for free
Jogendra Nath Das and his family members stand in front of their house set with a solar panel at Wari village in Raniganj union of Chilmari upazila under Kurigram district. Photo: STAR
Fishermen in the char areas are now enjoying solar power in three upazilas -- Phulbari, Nageswri and Chilmari. At least 70 ultra-poor families at 13 villages are receiving the facilities. They are happy as they got 20-watt power in each of their houses. The villages are West Dhanirum, Kuti Nagorajpur, Bhangamor, Ajoatari, Anatapur and West Phulmati under Phulbari upazila, Kumandopur, Katgiri and Char Kapna under Nageswari upazila and Khamer, Wari, Bhatto Para and Char Bailbandiarkhata under Chilmari upazila. RDRS-Bangladesh, an NGO, did the great job by giving solar power units free of cost among the families. The market value of each solar unit is Tk 12,500. Moniruzzaman Monir, technical officer of the project of this NGO, said "We are distributing solar power units free of cost among the ultra-poor fishermen families who live in remote char areas and who are members of our Village Disaster Management Committee (VDMC)." Fifteen Hindu fishermen families are also using solar power at Wari village (Majhi Para) of Raniganj union under Chilmari upazila for the last one month. Their children now study in the evening time in solar lighting. Besides, the fishermen can repair their nets at night without any trouble. While visiting South Wari village a few days ago, Jogendra Nath Das, a beneficiary at the village praising RDRS-Bangladesh said, “My daughter Babita Rani, a student of class-IV in Pattrakhata Phaichka Government Primary School, can now prepare her lessons in evening hours. She is very happy for that". "I also can repair fishing nets leisurely after coming home from the fish market", Jogendra said. "We have been living at Majhi Para beside the Dharla River for years. The river devoured our houses four times. Now the fishermen here are living only on 25 decimals of land”, Jogendra added. Atul Chandra Das of the same village said, "Solar light is saving a lot of our hard-earned money. Every day we had to spend Tk 6-7 for kerosene oil". Fazila Begum, wife of Md Samsuddin said "I am interested to get solar power connection. I am saving money so that I could purchase a small solar power unit. I need it as one of my two sons is a student of primary school.”
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