The houses, shops, building including mills and factories are being built up on the agricultural lands on both side of roads in greater Rangpur region including Kurigramdistrict causing agricultural lands are decreasing gradually hindering crops cultivation.

Houses, shops as well as mills and factories have been constructed in both sides on Kurigram-RangpurHighway,Kurigram-Bhurungamari road via Nageswariupazila road. In addition, same phenomenon are being found at Kurigram-Rajarhat road, Rajarhat-Ulipur Road,Kurigram-Chilmari(KC road),Nageswari-Fulbari road and Roumari-Rajibpur road. The situation was not found about four to five years back. The mentioned road sides were full of green revolution of cultivation and various kinds of crops produced earlier.

Several brick kilns have also been built indiscriminately on the cultivable lands which is threatened for cultivation in surrounding lands and agricultural economics, locals opined.

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) official sources said there are a total land in the district at 341225 hectares. Of them,157553 hectares of cultivable lands in Kurigram district and the yearly production 1071539 metric tons of paddy.The number of population is 20.69 lacs. Of them, 10.10lacs are male and the rest 10.59 lacsare female.Kurigram district is depend on agriculture. The production of rice and other crops are plying a significant role in the country meeting the local demand. There is no statistics in the agriculture department of cultivable lands which are decreasing gradually till now.

Talking to Abu Member (former) 52, Abdur Rahim 54, Kachua 51, PabitraMalakar and Paresh 45of Kumlearpar under Kaliganj union of Nageswariupazila told that earlier our houses were at char areas but the gulping Dudkumari River eroded our houses and crop lands forced us homeless and landless. Finding no alternative way we have built houses on Nageswari-KaliganjPucca road side.

Another causes is increasing of population. The brothers of a joint family want to build separate houses due to save from family feud. Consequently they are building their respective separate houses in road side or middle of croplands as the demand of new houses have also been increased. So the quantity of lands are decreasing gradually.

Dr. GolamKibria a valiant Freedom Fighter 67,and also a local physician of Nageswariupazila told this correspondent that all the connecting roads from Upazila headquarter to union level are seen that a good number of pucca,semi pucca houses,shops and other establishments have been built which was not seen about several years back due to increasing of population, unemployment problems, family quarrels etc.

Ismail Hossain 57, a Madrasha teacher and MonmohonSen 55 assistant head teacher of Berubari Girls High School said a good number of pucca and semi pucca houses and shops have built hanging colorful and attractive various sign boards on both sides on Nageswari-Berubari and NageswariBamondanga road occupying agricultural lands which decreasing and hindering cultivation activities.

Professor of Botany and also principal of Kurigram government college Mirza Mohammad Nasir Uddin said everybody should alert as not to effect of black smoke of brick kilns on the trees including any crops because it harms crown trees causes few buds, fruits and yields are seen.

Deputy Director of Kurigram Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Biplab Kumar Mohonto admitted that the cultivable lands are decreasing every year, it is true and we are suggesting not to build houses and mills and factories on the cultivable lands.