Traditional bullock ploughs disappearing from rural Gaibandha
Sarkar Shahadot Hossain, Gaibandha
Before the sun had fully risen over Gaibandha, farmers would walk to the fields with a wooden plough on their shoulder, a yoke in hand, and a pair of oxen trotting beside them. Then came the call that every villager knew by heart.
It was more than a command to the oxen. It was the morning anthem of rural Bangladesh.
At midday, women and children would carry lunch wrapped in a gamchha to the field. Panta bhat early in the morning, fish caught behind the plough in the rainy season, snails collected for ducks in the dry season. Farming was hard, but it was alive with people.
Around 15 to 20 years ago, almost every farming household in Sundarganj Upazila had a pair of oxen and a traditional plough. Farmers used them to cultivate seasonal crops, especially vegetables, and to prepare seedbeds.
Now power tillers and tractors dominate the fields. The wooden plough has become a museum piece.
Modern machinery is fast and powerful. But it is not made for everyone.
Small and marginal farmers are now facing a cruel paradox. Power tillers can cultivate large fields efficiently, but they are often unsuitable or uneconomical for small, fragmented and uneven plots. And when farmers need machinery most, they often cannot get it.
In Shantiram Union of Sundarganj, farmer Tara Mia knows this pain well.
Around 15 years ago, he used to cultivate different seasonal vegetables on about one bigha of fragmented, elevated land and earn nearly Tk 50,000 in annual profit. He could prepare his land whenever he wanted with his own bullock plough.
Now hiring a power tiller for such small, scattered plots has become difficult. In many cases, owners are unwilling to come for such a small job.
Unable to prepare his land on time, Tara Mia eventually abandoned vegetable cultivation.
"In the past, farmers could plough their land whenever necessary using their own oxen. Now we have to wait for machinery, and delays often cause us to miss the planting season," he said, frustration clear in his voice.
Abdul Kader, a former owner of a traditional bullock plough, says economics killed the practice.
The prices of cattle and agricultural equipment have increased significantly. The cost of feeding and maintaining oxen has also become high. Since bullock ploughs are mainly needed during seasonal vegetable cultivation and seedbed preparation, maintaining oxen throughout the year is no longer viable for many farmers.
The story is not limited to Sundarganj. The same silence can be felt in Gaibandha Sadar, Sadullapur, Palashbari, Gobindaganj, Saghata and Fulchhari upazilas.
Rahman, a resident of Chak Bhagabanpur village in Sadullapur Upazila, recalls the 1990s with nostalgia.
"During the 1990s, farmers would eat panta bhat early in the morning before heading to the fields with their ploughs, yokes and oxen. At lunchtime, their wives and children would bring meals wrapped in traditional towels," he said.
"During the rainy season, we used to catch fish while following the oxen ploughing the fields. In the dry season, we collected snails to feed ducks. Those days were full of joy. Now, whenever I remember those moments, my heart fills with sadness."
Agricultural experts agree that modern machinery has made farming faster, easier and less labour-intensive. But they also admit mechanical equipment is not always suitable for small and scattered plots.
Traditional ploughing still has practical value, particularly for vegetable cultivation and seedbed preparation.
Sundarganj Upazila Agriculture Officer, Agriculturist Syed Reza-E-Mahmud, said the use of traditional bullock ploughs has declined significantly due to the advancement of modern technology. Such ploughs are rarely seen nowadays. However, they are still useful for preparing seedbeds and cultivating land for seasonal vegetables.
Once an inseparable companion of rural farmers, the traditional bullock plough is now disappearing from the agricultural landscape of Gaibandha.
Modern technology has transformed farming, but the challenges of small-scale farmers remain.
Agricultural specialists believe that making affordable, small-scale machinery available and providing need-based support to marginal farmers could help revive interest in seasonal crop cultivation.
