Mirza Abdur Rob Bulbul, Staff Reporter: River, canal and beel are the three that form Chalanbeel. Tarash Upazila is located in a part of the heart of the historical Chalanbeel of Bangladesh. Since ancient times, the people of this area have been poorer and neglected than other places in the country. To keep the wheels of the economy moving for the overall development of Bangladesh, the importance of this area in agriculture, poultry farming and fisheries is immense. The current population of this upazila is 2, 11,853 people, the amount of cropland is 29,732 hectares, the amount of agricultural land under irrigation is 25,490 hectares, and the area is 297.2 km. The canal excavations of the Local Government Engineering Department`s Participatory Smallholder Water Management Cooperative Society (PBMS) have changed the quality of life of the people of the following 45 villages in Tarash Upazila in just 10 years. The notable villages are as follows: Harisona, Chowra, Paril, Borichada, Nagarpara, Kalamula, Kalakopa, Namasilot, Pipalsan, Khoshalpur, Saratla, Talam, Gurpipul, Baidyanathpur, Penguari, Binsara, Asanbari, Balbha, Malsin, Kazipur, Choubaria, Binodpur, Kharkharia, Digharia, Baragaon, Baruhas, Dhaptentulia, Sanduria, Laluyamajhira, Kamarshon, Makarshon, Kundail, Saguna, Dighisadguna, Wabadha Dam west of Tarash Sadar, Magurabinod, Charhamkuria adjacent to Bridge No. 10 and 45 villages. Some influential people have occupied the government canal area by blocking the canal and digging ponds and building houses in the canal, which has caused water logging in some villages. Ten years ago, due to water logging in this area, the paddy fields of the farmers in the northern area of the upazila were submerged, but now the farmers are getting the benefits of digging the canal all year round and the farmers are cultivating paddy fields in their agricultural land. When the reporter went to investigate the information on the spot, the reality of this was seen in the eyes of the reporter that as a result of digging the canal, the poor fishermen of the mentioned villages are catching fish with nets at the beginning of the rainy season. In addition, classes of influential people in this area are filling the canals in some places with soil and building houses. Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Harisona Cooperative Society through Harisona 22.5 km from Harisona to Kundail, Ulshi Water Management Society through Tarash Upazila Sadar through Binsara to Gurpipul 7 km, North Bhadrabati Water Management through Nagar Para, Kalamula to Baruhas 14 km, South Bhadrabati Water Management through Nagar Para Saratala to Sandra 13 km and Magura Binod and some parts of Tarash Sadar up to Nimaichada of Baral River 11 km. As a result of digging canals, the path and speed of water flow through the canals are normal. Md. Saheb Ali (40), a farmer of Tarash Sadar area, said that he was able to cultivate paddy on his land after the eviction of illegal canal fillers in the Wabadha Dam area of Tarash Sadar. Farmers of Chowra village, Md. Ganjer Ali Prang (55), Md. Abdur Rashid (54) and Md. Dildar Hossain (56), told this reporter that the fate of the farmers of our village and neighboring villages has also changed due to the digging of the canal. Now there is no more water logging or water drainage crisis and fear.

When contacted, Tarash Upazila Agriculture Officer Emilia Jannat said that if the farmers come to me for any agricultural problem, I am always ready to provide them with all the necessary services. She also said that I have not yet been able to get acquainted with the people of the Water Management Association. There is no doubt that my farmer brothers are getting a lot of benefits as a result of the digging of the Water Management Association canal. She also said that the development of the farmer brothers of agriculture-dominated Bangladesh means the overall development of the country.

In this regard, Tarash Upazila Engineer Md. Fazlul Haque said that the benefits and shining examples of the areas where we have dug canals from our concerned department are the crop fields of the farmers.

In this regard, Tarash Upazila Executive Officer Nusrat Jahan said that if the excavation work of all government canals is completed by freeing the illegal encroachers, the fish production and food production of Tarash Upazila and the country will increase. There is no doubt that thousands of farmers of Tarash Upazila will benefit and their fortunes will improve.