Disaster shed built voluntarily by locals for farmers

Green crop fields around and a small concrete shed in their midst, which has been built recently for the farmers to take shelter at the time of thunderstorm or other calamities.

The round-shaped structure with sitting arrangement for about 50 farmers will especially shield them from onslaughts of storm while harvesting in the summer.

It has been constructed by some locals out of a voluntary gesture at Purbo Singur on the bank of Hakaluki Haor in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar district of Sylhet considering security of the poor farmers.

A tube-well has also been sunk in surroundings of trees to save the farmers from lightning.

US expatriate Luthfur Rahman assisted the venture, implemented by social organisation Notun Kuri Club, locals said.

Farmers, especially poor day labourers, and others while harvesting paddy or doing any other work in the vast crop fields will be able to take shelter in the shed during rain, thunderstorm, hailstorm or storm.

The structure named Purbo Singur Krishak Chhauni (farmers' shed) was formally inaugurated by the locals in presence of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials and local journalists last week.

The number of deaths due to lightning is highest between March and May every year.

An average of 265 people die in Bangladesh every year due to lightning, according to information provided by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

Deaths due to lightning happen more in the months of April and May, when farmers in the haor region harvest crops.

Shahab Uddin, a farmer of Hakaluki Haor area, said, "We earn by fishing or cultivating rice. So these sheds are beneficial for us."

Masum Ahmad, another farmer of the same village, said, "With the shed, we can now take shelter. This is helpful to us."

Zabed Ahmad, another local farmer, said that they had been feeling the need of such a facility for long as farmers often get stuck by lightning during stormy weather in the vast track of Hakaluki Haor. Now then can take shelter in the shed.

Expatriate Luthfur Rahman Wasim contributed for this, said officials of the club adding, Tk0.2 million (2 lakh) has been spent for construction of the shed.

Local UP member Md Mainul Haque said, "Normally farmers work whole the day in the fields in the vast haor area and they can't even go home for lunch. Especially during summer they suffer much amid scorching heat as well as during inclement weather."

Almost every year lightning claims human lives in the haor area.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Jashim Uddin said, "Often we see media reports on deaths of farmers due to lightning in the crop fields. It will help reduce such unwanted incidents."

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