Shuttlers stand by farmers
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, stars from various sporting disciplines have come forward to help the needy people, who have been struggling to manage their daily meals due to the nationwide lockdown.
Now a group of badminton players have come forward with a slightly different initiative by providing physical labour on paddy grounds in Sylhet, harvesting paddy from the haor area of Sunamganj.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Thousands of farmers in haor areas are worried about timely harvesting of boro paddy due to a shortage of labourer due to the coronavirus pandemic. The situation has been made worse by the probability of advanced flooding.
"Under the banner of 'badminton players in service of mankind', we have already provided 15-days' food and medicine among 100 Bede families in Sunamganj and also distributed food among 200 families in Moulvibazar and Jashore.
"We have raised a fund with help from shuttlers, coaches, umpires, expatriates and general people. We are also helping shuttlers and umpires," Mohammad Ammar, who played in the national badminton championship for Sunamganj, told The Daily Star yesterday.
"In an effort to help people in the coronavirus pandemic and due to the prediction of advanced flooding in hoar area, we, some 15 shuttlers, went to help the farmers in Dekhar haor and harvested paddy in nearly 4 to 5 bighas," Ammar said.