Once unemployed Md Habibur Rahman in the district is now a successful farmer. He has earned a good profit by cultivating watermelon and onion.

After completing his masters in political science from Jashore MM College in 2007, Habibur, 35, son of Atiar Rahman of Nabogram village in Jhenidah's Shailakupa upazila tried his best to manage a job but failed. Later, he went to Dhaka and ran a small garments business there. 

In 2018, Habibur returned home when his father got ill. Finding no other alternative, he made up his mind to do farming. He then convinced his father and started guava farming on one bigha of land. He got good profit from this farming. He then took lease of five bighas of land spending Tk 50,000. He cultivated watermelon, guava and onion on the lands. 

On April 22 this year, he cultivated watermelon of Soheli hybrid on 15 decimals of land spending Tk 12,000, said Habibur, adding that he earned Tk 50,000 by selling 1,000 kg of watermelons on the land before the cyclone Amphan. If the storm did not destroy his plot, he could sell more 2500 kgs at Tk 1.25 lakh.

Apart from this, he earned a profit of Tk 5,000 by selling all-season onion, Bari-5 variety, on 10 decimals of land. He had to spend Tk 8000 for the onion farming. He took training in farming the onion from Magura spice research centre. 

Habibur further added that the authorities of local agriculture office in Shailakupa have helped him a lot to develop his farming. Local youths and farmers are now thronging his plot to collect saplings and seeds of watermelon and guava. He will expand his farming in the next year as it is a profitable venture.

He also urged the government to give loan to the jobless youths at low interest. If they get loan from the bank, they can contribute to the agricultural economy of the country.

Md Alauddin, a farmer of Nabogram village in the upazila, said he has already collected saplings and seeds of watermelon and guava from Habibur.

Another farmer Jahangir Hossain of the village said many people, especially unemployed youths in the area, are now following Habibur's footsteps after seeing his success.

Shailakupa upazila Agriculture Officer Sanjoy Kumar Kundo said Habibur is an ideal farmer in the locality. He is very sincere and hard working. They always help him whenever he needs.