As the monsoon months of Asharh and Srabon set in, farmers across Cox’s Bazar are busy transplanting Aman rice seedlings, turning the fields along the Marine Drive in Sonaichhari and beyond into vibrant green carpets.
Traditionally, the Asharh and Srabon months in the Bengali calendar are ideal for planting Ropa Aman rice, a rain-fed paddy that forms a significant part of Bangladesh’s seasonal agricultural cycle. With the onset of rains in Asharh, the fields become ready for transplanting the seedlings that farmers have carefully prepared in seedbeds.
Before transplantation, farmers nurture the seedlings in these seedbeds until they have reached the correct height for planting. Once ready, the seedlings are transplanted methodically in rows across the fields, allowing for easier maintenance and growth throughout the season.
The Aman rice planted during these monsoon months typically ripens for harvest in the Hemanta season, around the Bengali months of Kartik and Agrahayan, adding to the rhythm of life and livelihood for the farming communities of Cox’s Bazar.
Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Hussain Shetu
