Tk 250 Million Project Unused: Rajshahi Farmers Struggle with ‘Pollinate Houses’
Over Tk 250 million was spent to build 102 ‘pollinate houses’ for farmers in Rajshahi division. This government project aimed to help farmers grow crops year-round and increase their income. But three years later, most of these special farming structures are not being used as planned.
The Department of Agricultural Extension built these houses. The project was called ‘Agricultural Development in Rajshahi Division through the Expansion of Modern Technology’. Each house cost about Tk 2.4 million to build.
A pollinate house is a structure made of special plastic, netting, and an iron frame. It protects crops from bad weather, pests, and diseases. It also helps control temperature and water. This allows farmers to grow crops all year.
Farmers who received these houses signed 25-year agreements. They agreed not to change or remove the structures. They also had to grow valuable crops and keep the houses in use every season. If a farmer failed to follow these rules, they had to return the house’s cost to the government.
Many farmers say they lost money trying to use the houses. They claim the materials used were of poor quality. This made it impossible to control the temperature inside. Nazrul Islam, a farmer from Pabna, said the heat was too high. He had to remove the plastic cover from his house. Other farmers also faced similar problems.
Some farmers were even asked to make up stories of success. They had to tell officials that their crops were doing well, even when they were not.
Officials from the Department of Agricultural Extension say farmers failed because they did not follow advice. They also said farmers were unwilling to work hard. They now suggest growing grapes inside the houses.
However, an agriculture expert, Ahsanul Haque, said the problem is with the house design. He explained that pollinate houses in Bangladesh need special designs for each type of crop. They must control temperature and humidity for different plants. But these houses have the same design for all crops, which leads to failure.
Despite the widespread problems, some farmers found success. Those who already grew seedlings or flowers professionally benefited. Elias Sheikh from Natore successfully produced seedlings. Sadikul Islam from Chapainawabganj made a profit growing gerbera flowers. Aminul Islam from Joypurhat also succeeded with seedlings after learning techniques in India.
But for many others, the project has caused financial loss. They feel abandoned and without support. The high cost of the project has not brought the expected benefits to most farmers in Rajshahi.
