M Rahman Ranju, Kurigram: Agricultural workers are happy to get job opportunities even in the lockdown in Kurigram. These workers are being sent to the south-west of the country through administrative clearance. They are happy that the unemployed people will be able to go out of the district and give food to their families through work. As of Saturday, 849 workers from the district had gone to harvest paddy, according to the district agricultural extension department.

It is learned that bumper crop of boro paddy has been harvested in the field even in adverse weather this year. Agricultural landowners were in trouble as the country declared a lockdown due to the spread of corona. However, with the help of the government, low-income workers are getting job opportunities outside the district in compliance with the health rules. On the other hand, relief has come down among the land owners. The district administration is forming a team consisting of UNO, officer in charge and upazila agriculture officer at the upazila level to list the workers willing to go to work and sending them out through ID cards and clearance. As a result, job opportunities have been created among the poor and unemployed agricultural workers of Kurigram district. As a result, they are very happy. In the district, they are struggling to support a large family with a salary of Tk. 300 to Tk. 400. Sometimes there is no work. On the other hand, they can earn an average of Taka. As a result, these workers are running in the south and west.

Manju, Kalam and Chamsul, workers of Kachakata police station in Nageshwari, who went to cut paddy, said, "I was sitting at home without any work. I am happy to be able to work outside the district with the help of the government. We are happy after Ramadan. If I can save money by working now ".

Al Amin, proprietor of Karnafuli Special Transport in Kurigram, said workers, including bus owners, were affected by the lockdown. Bus owners are also happy with the government`s decision to send workers to Boro paddy fields in compliance with health regulations. Bus owners demand the government to normalize the living standards of the people in the region by relaxing the lockdown.

Additional Superintendent of Police Md Ruhul Amin said the government has decided to send agricultural workers to the south-west of the country to harvest paddy.

In this regard, Manjurul Islam, Deputy Director, Department of Agricultural Extension, said that agricultural workers are being sent from Kurigram to the south-western part of the country to harvest boro paddy in compliance with health rules. That is why the campaign is being run by miking. A team of UNO, OC and Agriculture Officer is selecting the workers in each upazila. They are working on ID card, clearance. Till Saturday, 849 workers have gone to work from Kurigram. He said workers would continue to be sent in compliance with the rules during the lockdown.