Khulna: Defying poverty and hardship after the death of her husband, a widowed woman in Khulna’s Dumuria upazila has transformed her life through vegetable farming, becoming a symbol of resilience and self-reliance for other women in her community. Tapu Biswas, a resident of Bamundia village under Kharnia union, has become a successful farmer by cultivating vegetables on 40 decimals of roadside land left behind by her late husband. Through her dedication and hard work, she has achieved financial independence.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Tapu Biswas now earns about Taka 2 lakh per year from her pointed gourd (potol) farming. She manages all the work herself, including planting seeds, irrigating, maintaining, and harvesting, while ensuring her crops are free from chemical pesticides. Inspired by her success, many local women are also turning to farming, with Tapu providing them advice and support. She hopes to expand her farming if given institutional backing.
Tapu begins her day tending to her pointed gourd garden, using bamboo trellises and vertical ropes to maximize yields and profits. Her journey into farming began after realizing the potential profits from selling surplus vegetables in local markets. Encouraged by a neighbor, she started farming near her home, managing all tasks herself to ensure chemical-free produce for her family.
By selling her surplus vegetables, Tapu earns an income that supports her children’s education and family needs. Her story has inspired many in her community to pursue vegetable farming as a path to self-reliance. With more institutional support, Tapu hopes to expand her operations further.
Despite hardships following her husband Umapad Biswas’s death in 2021, Tapu remained resilient. She involved her son Utso, a student at Khulna Northern University, in farming to provide for their family’s sustenance and education. Her late husband’s modest income from agro-works and trading vegetables was insufficient, but Tapu’s determination and farming success have transformed their lives.
Ibne Amin Tuhin, Agricultural Officer of Dumuria Upazila Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), emphasized the profitability of pointed gourd cultivation through the mulching method and its potential impact on the agricultural economy. The region’s soil is particularly suited for high-yield crops like pointed gourd, which could bring significant changes to the local economy if farming practices are expanded.