In the recent floods in Kamalganj, Moulvibazar, a successful entrepreneur in ‘grafting tomato seedling production’ has suffered a loss of crores of rupees.

1.5 million rupees grafting system yielded 120-hundred-year-old tomato seedlings drowned in flood water. As a result, Abdul Karim has become disoriented in the repayment schedule of the bank loan.

Meanwhile, hundreds of workers engaged in his seedling production are unemployed. In Jalalpur village of Adampur Union of Kamalganj Upazila, the upazila administration visited Karim’s agricultural land after hearing the news of the loss of successful entrepreneur Ang Karim in ‘grafting method of tomato seedling production’.

It is known that continuous rains and the hill slopes coming down from the upstream of India broke the defence embankment at 14 places of the Dhalai River and caused severe floods in Kamalganj. 145 villages of the upazila were inundated by the flood, and lakhs of people became waterlogged.

Floodwaters have caused damage to agriculture, fisheries, roads and houses, along with hundreds of crores of rupees. Seasonal crops, including paddy and vegetable fields, have been destroyed. Aung Karim, 55, is a retired soldier who has won the UN Peace Medal among the large seasonal vegetable growers.

Ang Karim retired after his term of service. Karmath Udyami Karim retired from service but did not retire from work. With Karmath Ang Karim’s own funding and the advice of the Agriculture Department, he became a successful entrepreneur in the ‘grafting method of tomato seedling production’ in the upazila. At one time, Ang Karim himself started producing tomato seedlings by the grafting method. Now he has become self-sufficient and has employed more than one hundred people.

There are about fifty farmers in the village who are cultivating tomatoes using Ang Karim’s grafted seedlings. During the interview, retired army soldier Ang Karim said, “The recent floods have ended my life.” I have suffered a lot. Hundreds of labourers working for my agriculture have become unemployed. About one and a half million rupees have been lost. I am now sitting like a helpless person, having been damaged in various ways, including bank loans. I can’t sleep at night thinking about debt.

He also said that this grafted tomato plant is water-tolerant. This tomato plant does not get damaged even in heavy rains. So there is a high demand for grafting seedlings in the market. I supplied the seedlings to eight to ten other districts of the country by meeting the needs of my own district. Many had ordered the number of seedlings before the start of the season. We cannot even supply them in time as the saplings are destroyed in the floods. I’m going to produce saplings, but now I’m spending my free time.

Motaleb Bakt, a resident of Jalalpur village in Kamalganj, said that Ang Karim was once a member of the Bangladesh Army. He is an innovative farmer. He is experimenting with various crops.

This grafting technology for tomatoes has therefore easily reached the common farmers of the area. He has benefitted himself and made the farmers of the area self-reliant. And the project also provided employment to the unemployed people of the area. However, he has lost about crores of rupees in the flood. Adampur UP Chairman Md. Abdal Hossain said that tomato farmer Ang Karim will be given all kinds of support from the Union Parishad.

Kamalganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Zainal Abedin said we visited the damaged grafted seedling farms of tomato farmer Ang Karim. He has lost more than one and a half million rupees. We will provide full support from the Upazila administration. So that he can walk again.
It should be noted that Ang Karim, an ex-army member, came out of retirement in 2002 and started cultivating tomatoes. He received the National Agriculture Award in 2005 as a successful grower in tomato cultivation. Since then, he has used this enthusiasm to become a successful farmer.