Utian Tong Pear

In 1987, Utian Tong Pear’s life changed forever. That year, then 37-year-old Utian was among the first in his village community of Aliachara to get electricity from the Maulabibazar co-op, one of Bangladesh ’s 67 local rural electrification societies. Growing up in Aliachara was harsh. In the dry season, Utian and his siblings spent hours climbing the hills to reach the waterfalls. With buckets and jars, they collected just enough water to irrigate the family’s betel leaf garden. Months later, when the rains finally came, Utian’s family, like many others in Aliachara, also grew lemons to sell in the local market. But oversupply kept prices low, about $4.50 per thousand lemons.

Even though his father was the village chief, Utian’s future was uncertain. He completed the seventh grade, but returned home after the 1971 War of Liberation to help cultivate the family garden. He soon married and had a family—seven children in all. Some 15 years later, electricity arrived in Aliachara. When Utian bought his first electric irrigation pump in 1987, he discovered he could grow lemons year-round. In the dry season, market prices soared to $36.50 per thousand— eight times higher than in the rainy season. Dry-season prices for irrigated betel leaf also grew. Utian decided to devote half of his 60 acres to lemon gardening,15 acres to betel leaf, and the remainder to fruits, black pepper, and squash. With three times the production of earlier times, he could afford to hire workers year round.

He also bought six more acres. Every day, the demand for electric irrigation grows in Aliachara. Convinced by Utian’s success, his neighbors are eager to get a connection from the Maulabibazar

PBS. Nearly half of the community’s 125 households use electricity to irrigate their lemon and betel leaf gardens. As a result, their incomes have doubled. In all, villagers have bought 70 electric irrigation pumps. Today Utian is making dreams come true in Aliachara. Now 55 years old, he is the village chief. Like his father, he takes his responsibilities to heart. He meets the living needs of his 23-member extended family. His children go to school. He plans to construct a hotel for tourists. He dreams of setting up a food-processing industry. Soon he will rebuild his father’s house. Life since electrification is different. The future is bright.