Farmers were collecting traditional Tepi Boro paddy seedlings from seedbeds to plant in fields in Shanir Haor, Sunamganj’s Tahirpur, yesterday. Once known as a “rice granary” of the country, farmers in the region are increasingly turning to hybrid varieties to save costs and achieve higher yields, causing many local varieties, including Tepi Boro, to gradually disappear. Photo: Sheikh Nasir