Ethnic farmers transplant Boro plants at Patnitala amid bone-chilling cold

PATNITALA, NAOGAON, Jan 22: Amid bone-chilling cold, transplanting Boro saplings is going on in Patnitala Upazila of the district.
For several days, cold wave is prevailing in Patnitala and other nearby upazilas.
Normal life has been standstill due to freezing condition. Himalayan breeze from north is flowing over the district. Life and business are at stark. In particular, day-earning people are in greater disarray.
On Tuesday, thick fog kept covered the entire upazila for the whole day. But in this bitter cold situation, farmers belonging to small ethnic group are continuing farming activities.
A visit found farmers are passing busy time in planting, irrigating, land preparing, and sapling lifting. In  different areas including Kanchan, Patnitala, Fahimpur, Parbitipur and Chandpur,  farming activities were seen taking place in full swing.
Farmer Hamidur Rahman in Dohanagar Village said, "We have been in Boro field in a new spirit after getting good prices of Aman. With a hope of good yield, we are  trying to finish Boro farming on time despite unfavourable weather."
He said, he is preparing five bighas to cultivate Boro this year.
While talking with this correspondent, a number of ethnic women in Chhoto Chandpur Village said,  cold does not rule belly.
They said, they remained workless for about two months after harvesting Aman. So, they have been indebted.
"We don't have other option but to work in severe cold," they added.
This year, 20,450 hectares have been targeted for Boro cultivation in Patnitala Upazila, according to upazila agriculture office sources.