Economic Zone In Narayanganj: Farmers pay the price of development
Nurul Islam used to earn a decent living as a tenant farmer in his village in Narayanganj's Araihazar upazila. He also reared cattle and caught fish from small waterbodies to make some money on the side.
"Those were the good old days. Even in 2016, I grew various crops, had three cows that would graze on large open fields. I caught fish from nearby canals and ponds. I was self-sufficient," he reminisced.
Everything, however, changed dramatically in the span of just six years.
The construction of a special economic zone has forced hundreds of people -- all of whose livelihoods depended on farmland and waterbodies -- to switch to other professions, limiting their income sources as vast swathes of arable land, canals and other waterbodies had to be acquired for the project.
While the landowners were compensated with hefty amounts, the tenant farmers received no compensation, nor were they offered any employment opportunities, said locals.
"Even in 2016, I grew various crops, had three cows that would graze on large open fields. I caught fish from nearby canals and ponds. I was self-sufficient... Now I am a rickshaw-puller from dawn to dusk."
"Now I am a rickshaw-puller from dawn to dusk," said Nurul from Maizpara village, his voice fraught with frustration.
Like him, some now pull rickshaws, some work as day labourers in different informal sectors, while others toil away at the economic zone.
Despite concerns raised by environmentalists and locals, the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) selected 1,000 acres of land in Araihazar upazila for the construction of the Bangladesh Special Economic Zone (BSEZ) in 2017.
In December last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the BSEZ, also known as the Japanese Economic Zone. Now, the infrastructural development work -- including filling up lands with sand, construction of boundary walls, installation of a drainage systems, and tree plantation -- is only in its first phase.
As of now, five foreign companies have signed contracts with the BSEZ authorities to set up their factories. The BSEZ is in talks with some other companies as well, said officials concerned.
Project Director (PD) Saleh Ahmed said the project was divided into two phases and around 40 percent work in the first phase had already been completed.
Around 10,000 workers are now working at the project site, said Saleh.
This correspondent found the project site had construction workers and security guards. Locals said the workers were not from the area and had been outsourced.
According to environment activists and locals, the mega project will adversely impact the environment and people's lives in the area. Beza officials, however, dismissed the concerns and said they were working in a planned way to avoid environmental degradation.
Before starting the construction work, the BSEZ authorities assigned EQMS Consulting Ltd, a private company, to conduct a survey in and around the project site in 2018.
The survey stated that some 1,714 families would be affected by the project. Around 66.45 percent of them depended on agriculture for their livelihoods.
WORD STILL NOT KEPT
At the beginning of the project, the BSEZ authorities assured that employment opportunities would be provided to the tenant farmers and their family members, whose livelihoods depended on the land and water bodies acquired for the project.
"The word given to us was not kept," said Md Zaman, another resident of Maizpara village.
Zahidul Miah, also from the same village, said only a handful of people got work opportunities at the project site, despite the assurance that none of us would remain unemployed.
Over the past decade till March this year, industrialisation has eaten up some 7,413 acres of arable lands, including the those acquired for the economic zone, in Araihazar upazila, according to the Department of Agriculture Extension.
"The loss of such huge tracts of farmland is alarming," said Rafiur Rabbi, senior vice president of the Narayanganj Nagorik Committee.
"Economic zones are essential for the country's economic growth, but so are farmlands, canals, and waterbodies. The low-income groups, especially farmers, were directly affected by the project. The authorities should have made alternative arrangements for their livelihoods."
Meanwhile, BEZA officials told this correspondent that around one lakh people would get employment opportunities after the economic zone starts functioning in full swing.
Contacted, BEZA Executive Chairman Shaikh Yusuf Harun said those affected would get employed once the foreign companies start their production.
"There is even a plan to set up training centres in the project area to enhance workers' skills. The project's infrastructural work will be completed by 2026."
Waterlogging has become another major problem in the area since canals and waterbodies were filled up to facilitate the project's infrastructural construction.
The filling up of the Dewrakhali canal has been causing long-term waterlogging problems in the area, villagers said.
Visiting Maizpara recently, this correspondent found many homesteads inundated.
Momotaj Begum, 55, said, "The entire area gets waterlogged when it rains heavily. Even if we want to visit our neighbours, we have to make a detour."
PD Saleh Ahmed said, "We have a plan to re-excavate four canals in the project area. Walkways and drains would also be constructed. The issue of waterlogging will be solved after these are implemented."
He also said a special plan will be carried out in phases for arranging accommodation for people working in the economic zone.
Several multi-storey buildings, hotels, and restaurants are being built by private companies. Such urbanisation, many villagers allege, is going on in an unplanned way.
Harun said, "The issue of planned urbanisation is under the jurisdiction of the National Housing Authority. We will cooperate with them, if necessary."
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