Allegations that a government canal is being blocked to construct a pipe culvert have raised serious concerns among farmers in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia, with at least 70 hectares of agricultural land at risk of permanent waterlogging.

Local residents of Nandlalpur Union recently submitted a written complaint to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), accusing influential individuals of obstructing a key canal at Buzruk Bakhai Bottola intersection to install a narrow pipe culvert.

They fear the move will severely disrupt natural water flow.

According to the complaint and local sources, the nearly one-kilometre-long canal runs from Buzruk Bottola in Nandlalpur Union to Mirzapur Bazar in Shilaidaha Union.

Read more: Fertiliser crunch threatens Kushtia’s onion boom despite high prices

It plays a crucial role in draining water from the Buzruk Bakhai, Chandpur, and Bahalbariya beels into the nearby Gorai and Padma rivers. However, the canal has not been properly excavated or maintained for several years.

Local farmers alleged that portions of the canal have gradually been encroached upon, with multiple pipe culverts constructed to create makeshift roads.

This has led to prolonged waterlogging in the surrounding lowlands for at least six months each year. As a result, farmers in the area are able to cultivate only one crop—Boro rice—during the irrigation (IRRI) season.

The situation has worsened following a recent initiative to block a 22-foot-wide section of the canal at Buzruk Bakhai Bottola, replacing it with a three-foot-wide pipe culvert under a Union Parishad project reportedly costing around Tk 6 lakh.

Farmers fear the narrow culvert will further obstruct water flow, rendering vast tracts of farmland uncultivable throughout the year.

A visit to the site revealed a concrete bridge over the canal at Bottola intersection. The western side of the canal has been partially filled with sand, while the remaining portion has been narrowed to about three feet with concrete casting.

At least 27 pipes were observed stacked in the courtyard of a nearby house, suggesting preparations for the culvert installation.

Meanwhile, farmers and labourers were busy transplanting Boro seedlings in adjacent fields.

Read more: As haor waters recede, Sunnamganj farmers sow hope in every field

Suman Hossain, a local resident, said, “People associated with the chairman started blocking the canal to install pipes in the morning. Locals protested and forced the workers to leave. We later filed a written complaint with the UNO demanding that the work be stopped.”

Rashidul Sheikh, son of farmer Azizul Sheikh from Buzruk Bakhai village, stressed the canal’s importance. “The canal is the only route through which water from the beels flows to the Padma River. We get only one harvest a year. If the canal is blocked, there will be no crop at all,” he said, demanding the immediate cancellation of the project.

Another farmer, Shafiqul Islam Lalon from Chadpur beel, noted that hundreds of bighas of land remain submerged for seven to eight months annually due to inadequate canal excavation.

“If water could drain properly, we could grow three crops a year. Instead, the problem is being made worse,” he added.

Read more: Haor farmers reap early gains as mustard cultivation flourishes in Sunamganj

Union Parishad Secretary Kalachand Biswas, however, stated over the phone that the pipe culvert construction was part of a development project for the 2024–25 fiscal year at a cost of around Tk 600,000.

“Local people objected and stopped the work,” he said.

Read more: A costly bridge in Manikganj waiting for roads

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farzana Akhter confirmed receiving the complaint and assured saying, “We will conduct a field inspection and take necessary steps to protect the interests of the farmers.”