United News of Bangladesh

Thousands of hectares of Boro paddy have gone under water in the haor areas of Sunamganj following sudden flooding triggered by breached embankments and upstream rainfall, causing losses estimated at around Tk 200 crore, officials said. In Dekhar haor’s Guwachura area on Wednesday, labourers were seen harvesting paddy in waist-deep cold water, their bodies wrapped in polythene to shield against the harsh conditions. Nearby, farmer Rois Mia struggled to tie bundles of harvested paddy, his eyes welling up as he described the scale of devastation. “Everything is under water – three to four feet above the crops. I do not know how we will harvest or dry the paddy,” he said, adding that he had cultivated 19 bighas of land on a sharecropping basis after taking loans of around Tk 150,000. The farmer said he harvested paddy on six bighas of land but were unable to dry paddy. “There are still another six bighas under a sharecropping agreement left to harvest. I do not know if I will be able try those at all.” Citing the agreement with the land owner, he said, “The agreement is four maunds per bigha, and I must give the landlord the full share of paddy. The landowner will not accept less. If I fail, I will not get land next year.” The farmer now faces uncertainty over repaying debts, giving the landlord’s share, and feeding his family. Similar distress was visible across the area. Elderly farmers Jamila Khatun and Asma Begum were trying to dry partially soaked paddy on makeshift mats, while Komor Ali, 70, said about 75 percent of his 20 bighas of land had been submerged. “If I fail to give the landlord his share, I may not get land next year,” he said, adding he had spent Tk 70,000 on cultivation. Local farmers said sharecroppers, who make up nearly 70 percent of cultivators in the haor areas, are particularly vulnerable as they must pay fixed shares regardless of losses. According to Mohammad Umar Faruk, Deputy Director of district Department of Agricultural Extension, embankments at Eron Beel and Jinaria in Madhyanagar upazila collapsed, allowing water to enter at least three smaller haors. As a result, around 9,049 hectares of paddy fields have been inundated, damaging an estimated 50,000 tonnes of paddy worth Tk 200 crore as of Wednesday afternoon, he said. Officials said it may take at least a week for the water to recede, as continued rainfall in Sunamganj and upstream areas, including India’s Meghalaya region, is keeping river levels high. The Surma River was flowing just below the danger level on Wednesday afternoon. Efforts by farmers in Shalla upazila to cut embankments and drain water through the Dhanu River into the Meghna have yielded little result due to high downstream water levels. Water Development Board Executive Engineer Mamun Hawlader said there is currently no effective way to drain the water quickly. “With rising river levels due to upstream rainfall, it may take about a week for water to start receding,” he said. Former meteorologist Syed Ahmed Chowdhury warned of further heavy rainfall until Sunday, which could worsen the situation. Despite claims that 603 kilometres of embankments were constructed this year at a cost of Tk 148 crore, local farmers and environmentalists allege poor planning and lack of river dredging have exacerbated waterlogging in the haor areas.