A severe navigability crisis has arisen in the Jamuna River in Sariakandi upazila, leaving vast stretches of the riverbed dry and creating extensive sandbars across char areas. As a result, horse-drawn carts have become the only means of transporting agricultural goods, increasing costs and causing immense suffering for local residents.
The crisis began in December last year when the water level of the Jamuna started declining rapidly. Over the past few months, the river has almost dried up in several sections, creating large sandbars across the entire areas of four unions and partially across eight others in the upazila.
Due to the sandy terrain, vessels are unable to operate in many char areas, leaving farmers with limited transport options. Horse carts are now the only viable means to move agricultural produce and farming inputs across the vast sandbanks.
During a recent visit to the char areas, rows of horse carts carrying agricultural goods were seen moving across the sandbars. Farmers are being forced to pay high transport fees to take their crops to nearby markets. Fertilizers and pesticides are also being transported to farmlands using horse carts, further increasing farming costs.
This year, char areas in Sariakandi have produced crops worth nearly Tk 10 billion during the Rabi season, including maize, chili, sweet pumpkin, and onions. However, farmers must rely entirely on horse carts to transport these crops, as no alternative transport system exists.
Farmers said transporting a sack of chili over a three-kilometer stretch costs around Tk 120 by horse cart. After reaching the riverbank, they must again hire battery-powered auto-rickshaws to take their produce to markets, adding to the overall cost.
Farmers believe that if the government builds a special road across the sandbars, battery-powered auto-rickshaws could operate there, which would reduce transport expenses and lower overall agricultural production costs. Such a step would also help keep vegetable prices affordable for consumers.
Jewel Mia, a farmer from Char Batiar village under Sariakandi Sadar Union, said he cultivated chili on four bighas of land and other crops on nearly 10 bighas this season.
“Our char areas are producing large quantities of crops, especially maize. But the biggest problem is transportation,” he said. “Because there is almost no water in the river, we cannot transport crops by boat. We have to depend on horse carts and pay several times higher transport costs.”
He added that farmers are currently making some profit due to good chili prices in the market, but without that they would likely face losses.
Sariakandi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sumaiya Ferdous said the issue was discussed in a recent law and order committee meeting. She said Member of Parliament Kazi Rafiqul Islam from the Bogra-1 (Sariakandi–Sonatala) constituency has assured that connectivity roads will be constructed between char areas.
“If implemented, the initiative will help ease transport problems for farmers in these remote regions,” she added.
