Experts and academicians at a seminar called upon the agriculture scientists and researchers to enhance research on cotton cultivation and inspire the farmers in increasing farming of the highly profitable crop. They came up with the call at the seminar on ‘Prospects of Cotton Production in the Northern Region of Bangladesh’ organised by Cotton Development Board (CDB) on Sunday at Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU) auditorium in Dinajpur district town. Presided over by Executive Director of CDB at Khamarbari Dr Md Farid Uddin, cotton farmers of Rangpur region, academicians, researchers, scientists, officials, teachers and students of HSTU took part in the seminar. HSTU VC Prof Dr M Abul Kashem attended the seminar, arranged for promoting cotton farming in the northern region, as the chief guest. Rangpur Regional Deputy Director of CDB Md Elias Mian, its Additional Director at Khamarbari Md Akhteruzzaman and Professor of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding at HSTU Professor Dr Bhabendra Kumar took part as main discussants. Agriculturist Fahinur Rahman Shatil and Sabiha Roksana of CDB moderated different sessions in the seminar. The VC said Bangladesh has achieved success in developing rice and wheat cultivation through research work to increase production of these major cereal crops for attaining food security. “So why, we have to enhance research on cotton farming and inform the farmers about benefits of its cultivation so that they come forward spontaneously to promote cotton farming to reap more profits”, he added. Dr Farid said the farmers can cultivate two more crops on the same land after cultivating cotton annually in Rangpur region where a tendency of tobacco farming is still prevailing despite government efforts of discouraging tobacco cultivation. “We have to make the farmers understood that cotton farming is more profitable than tobacco cultivation”, he said adding that CDB will continue to arrange seminars in educational institutions to inspire the farmers in farming cotton. “The riverine char areas of the northern region of Bangladesh are also suitable for cotton cultivation,” Dr Farid added.
