Rice Harvest – Despite the Rain and Leeches
The annual "student" rice harvest took place in early May on the school fields of Monoshapara boarding school. Although this year’s harvest was hampered by heavy rain and unusually waterlogged ground, it was ultimately successful, and the school secured a stock of rice for the coming months.
The school’s land is situated in a picturesque area near Bangladesh’s northern border with India. The golden rice paddies, surrounded by green hills, create a landscape not commonly seen in the otherwise flat regions of Bangladesh. At Monoshapara, growing and harvesting rice is a regular and anticipated part of the school year. Throughout the process, students learn essential agricultural skills, work in teams, and gain hands-on experience beyond the classroom.
This year, students had to face particularly challenging conditions – the waterlogged soil and excess water made movement through the fields difficult, which meant local day labourers had to be brought in to assist. The work was carried out jointly by students, teachers, and experienced local workers.
The difficult conditions, biting leeches, and mud demanded considerable resilience. With more rain forecast, the harvested rice had to be threshed as quickly as possible to prevent it from spoiling.
Thanks to good organisation and the combined effort of everyone involved, the entire harvest was completed on time. Despite the challenges, it proved to be a valuable experience, strengthening both teamwork and students’ practical skills.
At Monoshapara boarding school, the rice harvest is not only an agricultural task but also an opportunity to build collaboration between students and teachers.
