1,000 Chattogram labourers to leave for haors to harvest paddy 

One thousand labourers from Chattogram will leave for haor areas in different districts of the country to reap Boro paddy.

Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) permitted 100 labourers at the first phase. They departed for the destination at 5pm on Sunday. 

Confirming the news, CMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (public relations) Abu Bakkar Siddique said each of the 1,000 labourers is being provided with an approval letter. 

The labourers went through some check-ups including medical tests as per government directives, said Abu Bakkar.  

The administration has also arranged buses for carrying the labourers and provided them with adequate safety materials, he added. 

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), there is a bumper yield of Boro paddy this year. The crop has already ripened, but a shortage of labourers amid the nationwide shutdown has created an uncertainty over its proper harvest.    

Every year, labourers from different parts of the country come to these haor areas in Mymensingh and Sylhet to cut paddy. 

The situation is different this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak that has prompted the government to impose a countrywide transport ban. 

On April 9, the agriculture ministry urged authorities concerned to make arrangements for labourers' arrival and movement of transports in haor areas following the instructions given for keeping protected from the virus.  

The DAE has targeted 37,45,000 metric tonnes of boro production in haor areas this year.