Moulvibazar’s fallow fields turn fertile again

Once left untouched for years, over 4,200 hectares of fallow land in Moulvibazar have been brought under cultivation in just five years — marking a quiet revolution in the district’s agricultural sector.

Barren fields are now rich with crops, offering fresh hope and prosperity to local farmers and the market alike.

Abdul Ahad, a farmer in the Joychandi area of Kulaura upazila, said the number of unemployed youth is increasing day by day. Therefore, people are showing interest in cultivating this wasteland, unable to find any other way.

Fallow lands that had been left unused for decades are now proving to be highly valuable. Landowners are either cultivating them themselves or leasing them out to local farmers. As a result, once barren fields are now home to thriving vegetable and fruit gardens, he added.

The district has seen a surge in the cultivation of seasonal crops, with farmers growing pineapples, lemons, malta, guava, jackfruit, plums, papayas, and brinjals.

Monowar Hossain, upazila agricultural officer in Barlekha upazila, said farmers who once struggled with water shortages, poor transportation, and a lack of labour are now overcoming these challenges thanks to modern machinery and improved infrastructure.

Local farmers Nazrul Islam and Shahin Ahmed said more than 200 farmers in Mohammadnagar, a remote village in the hilly Barlekha upazila, are reaping the benefits of early monsoon vegetable farming, particularly with the widespread cultivation of jhinge (ridge gourd) across 250 bighas of flat land nestled between hills.

According to the Moulvibazar Agricultural Extension Department, the district had 1,23,720 hectares of arable land in 2020. That number has grown to 1,27,994 hectares this year, with an additional 4,274 hectares of land brought under cultivation over the last five years.

The expansion is largely due to the increasing popularity of fruit and vegetable gardens, particularly those featuring pineapple, lemon, and malta.

A visit to upazilas such as Kamalganj, Srimangal, Kulaura, and Rajnagar reveals that land previously dedicated to a single crop is now supporting multiple harvests each year.

Md Jalal Uddin, deputy director of the Moulvibazar Agricultural Extension Department, said more fallow land is now being brought under cultivation, particularly for pineapple, malta, and lemon gardens.

He said the rise of pineapple cultivation, in particular, has been a boon for local farmers, with sweet pineapples now available year-round.