Govt digs 458km canals, builds 1,070km underground lines for Boro irrigation: Agri minister
Measures under 180-day programme also include fertiliser and seed supplies.
To ensure irrigation facilities for farmers during the current Boro season, the government has excavated and re-excavated 458 kilometres of canals and constructed 1,070 kilometres of underground irrigation channels under a 180-day programme.
Under the same initiative, 51,325 tonnes of quality Boro rice seeds were collected and preserved. Besides, 562,731 tonnes of non-urea fertiliser were supplied at government-subsidised prices.
Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid shared this information in a written reply to a question from Chattogram-12 lawmaker Mohammad Enamul Haque during the question-and-answer session of the parliament today (30 August). The session was chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.
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According to the agriculture minister, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) implemented these activities to alleviate the crisis of seeds and irrigation water for farmers during the ongoing Boro season.
To ensure the supply of fertilisers, the BADC supplied 562,731 tonnes of non-urea fertilisers according to the allocation from the agriculture ministry. These fertilisers include DAP, MOP, and TSP, and were supplied to farmers at subsidised prices.
To meet the demand for quality seeds, 51,325 tonnes of Boro rice seeds were collected and preserved from various seed production farms and contract farmers. These seeds will be distributed to farmers through seed dealers in the upcoming 2026-27 Boro season.
To expand irrigation facilities, alongside the excavation and re-excavation of canals, 400 irrigation infrastructures were constructed. Furthermore, 36 kilometres of crop protection embankments were built, electricity connections were provided to 160 irrigation pumps, 48 defunct deep tube wells were made operational, and 72 solar-powered irrigation pumps were installed.
Meanwhile, the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) also implemented various activities for irrigation and seed production under the 180-day programme.
This includes the re-excavation of 20 kilometres of canals, the installation of 87 low-lift pumps powered by electricity and solar energy, the installation of 10 solar-powered irrigation pumps in char areas, and the rehabilitation of 92 irrigation pumps.
Moreover, 86 pump houses were rebuilt, and 38.10 kilometres of underground pipelines were constructed. The agriculture minister also informed the parliament that 350 tonnes of seeds were produced in the Barind region.
The lawmaker had asked whether the government had taken any steps under a 180-day programme to keep farmers free from shortages of fertilisers, seeds, and irrigation water during the current Boro cultivation season.
