A festive spirit now fills the Hakaluki haor as farmers in Kulaura, Barlekha, and Juri upazilas of Moulvibazar, as well as Fenchuganj and Beanibazar upazilas of Sylhet, are busy harvesting their boro crop.
The vast haor fields, glowing with golden rice, have become a hive of activity.
Farmers said this year's yield has been good thanks to favourable weather and timely cultivation. Since dawn, they have been working tirelessly -- harvesting, threshing, and transporting paddy home.
"Our lives depend on this haor," said Syed Roni Hasan Salam, a farmer from Bhatera union in Kulaura upazila. "The harvest is good this time. I hope the paddy gets a good price so I can meet my expenses. If the government had given us more assistance, such as modern machinery, it would have been easier."
In the Bhukshimuil area, farmer Sajjad Mia said producing each maund of paddy now costs around Tk 800 to Tk 850, including the use of modern harvesting machines. "If I could sell it for at least Tk 1,100 to Tk 1,200 per maund, I'd be able to make a meaningful profit," he added.
During a recent visit to the area, this correspondent observed thousands of farmers working from dawn to dusk. Some were harvesting, others threshing, while many carried the golden crop home by bullock cart, boat, and trolley.
Every corner of the haor echoed with the joy of the harvest.
Shaidul Hasan Shipon, general secretary of the Kulaura Sangbadik Samitee and a resident of the haor, said Hakaluki is one of the country's largest freshwater wetlands. "The livelihoods of thousands of farming families depend on this haor."
Md Mahi Uddin, UNO of Kulaura, said during the Boro season, a kind of agricultural festival takes place in haor areas like Hakaluki. "Here, agriculture is more than a profession; it is part of the culture. Farmers harvest paddy in groups with the help of relatives and neighbours," he said.
With assistance from the agriculture department and local administration, the harvesting process is being accelerated in some areas through the use of modern machinery. If completed successfully, the haor harvest is expected to positively impact food security and the local economy, he added.
Md Jalal Uddin, deputy director of the Moulvibazar District Agricultural Extension Department, said boro has been cultivated on 62,140 hectares of land in and around the haors this year, against a target of 62,100 hectares.
The expected output is 2,48,400 tonnes of rice.
He said the BRRI-92 variety has yielded particularly well in the haor areas, having adapted to the local soil and climate. To support farmers during the harvesting season, 171 modern rice harvesting machines are currently operating in the district, significantly reducing the need for manual labour and saving time.
