A spread of greenery on sandy char land is signaling new possibilities. This innovative cultivation on the slope of a dam across about 2 kilometers up to Khochabari Bazar in Fulbari upazila has drawn attention in the area. People in the char area and the agriculture department see commercial cultivation on unused land and prevention of soil erosion on the dam as positive.
Locals said the flood-control dam broke during the 2017 flood. In 2025, the Water Development Board repaired the broken section and renovated the dam. Since then, locals have been cultivating bottle gourd and other vegetables on the dam slopes.
A visit found bottle gourd in some parts of the slope, bamboo in others, and banana trees or other vegetables elsewhere. This protects the dam slope from rain erosion while char residents profit from cultivation. Some are also growing vegetables commercially.
Altaf Hossain, Ziaul Haque Zia and Abdul Hakim are among them. They have jointly cultivated bottle gourd on trellises along the slopes on both sides of the dam across about one kilometer in Holokhana and Rangamati villages.
Farmer Altaf Hossain, 55, said, “Last year I cultivated bottle gourd on the dam slope on a small scale. I made good profit selling that bottle gourd in the market. This year I cultivated on a larger scale. A month ago, I placed cow dung in pits and planted high-yielding bottle gourd seedlings. Then I made a long trellis with GI wire and bamboo. I am irrigating and caring for it regularly. The total cost has been Tk75 thousand. I have already sold Tk31 thousand worth of bottle gourd in the market. If the yield is good, I will be able to sell Tk2 lakh worth.”
Farmer Khalilur Rahman said heat waves are already strong in the char. On top of that, there has been a lack of rain this year. Because of the drought, more irrigation is needed. Regular irrigation from the nearby beel has prevented the lack of rain from harming the seedlings. Various chemical fertilizers have been applied in the pits. Care is continuing.
Farmer Fuad Hossain of Khochabari area said wholesalers from Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Barabari take bottle gourds by pickup. He has sold about a thousand bottle gourds. Each sells for Tk20 to Tk30.
Akbar Ali and Sirajul Islam of Holokhana village said they have grown banana, bamboo, bitter gourd and various other vegetables along with bottle gourd. If cultivation goes well, their families will run well.
Local residents Abdul Malek, Habibur Rahman, Joynal Abedin and many others said widespread vegetable cultivation on the dam slope has raised hopes among char farmers. Through this, landless people have also found land for cultivation. Vegetable prices are high in the market, and people can buy from here at lower prices.
Enamul Haque, a resident of Sardob village, said vegetables have been cultivated on the dam slope since last year. This year, several people have cultivated bottle gourd and other vegetables commercially. Seeing the success, many others have planned to take up this unconventional cultivation. Through this, not only entrepreneurs have benefited, but local vegetable demand has been met and employment has been created.
Kurigram Water Development Board subdivisional engineer Munna Haque said this type of cultivation is very useful for protecting the dam. That is why they did not obstruct cultivation. Farmers are benefiting by producing extra crops through it.
Kurigram Department of Agricultural Extension deputy director Abdullah Al Mamun said many farmers have recently been leaning toward vegetable cultivation on the slopes of dams and roads. Landless farmers in particular are benefiting by cultivating on dam slopes. The agriculture department is always encouraging farmers in this regard.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report