State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruk on Thursday said the damages caused by recent flash floods in Sunamganj were less compared to earlier years due to well-built levees. The state minister was talking to journalists after visiting flood-hit Shantiganj, Jagannathpur and Derai upazilas in Sunamganj when he asked the authorities concerned to take necessary actions to help the affected farmers. “From March 30 water from upstream hills rushed down in the first phase of the flood. Officials and staffs of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and other workers are giving all-out effort to protect the damaged dams since then,” he said. Also read: Sunamganj farmers fear crops loss as floodwater enters haors Zahid said,” In the next Boro season, the affected farmers will be given free seeds and fertilizers along with various food aids including Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) .” The government is providing 70 per cent subsidy to the farmers in the haor area to ease their burden of production cost, he added. “Upstream water running down hills following torrential rain in Meghalaya and Cherrapunji of India triggered the second phase of flash floods. On Sunday night, water entered Huramandira Haor in Derai upazila damaging 200 hectares of 1,000 hectares of cropland in the area, he added. Also read: Flash flood: 860 hectares of cropland go under water in Sunamganj According to the Department of Agricultural Extension a total of 5,660 hectares in 17 small and large haors, beels got inundated by flash floods so far.

The safety of rivers banks across the country are hardly possible without proper river management, said Zahid Faruk, state minister of Water Resources on Saturday.

The government is taking a Tk 100 crore project to repair embankments damaged during cyclone Amphan, State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruk said Thursday.

There is a very good boro production in the country this time and that has to be harvested properly before the flood hits the country, said State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruk on Sunday.   The junior minister came up with the advice while addressing a meeting of his ministry on taking precautionary measures to control flood in vulnerable areas during the upcoming monsoon.   Zahid Faruk said the projects, especially that of dams in haor areas, need to be there in focus to complete those before the monsoon sets in.    Referring to the shutdown enforced in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Hoque Shameem told the meeting that the boro crop is very important for the country at this time of unprecedented scale of pandemic. “So, farm workers have to be hired from other districts, if needed, for harvesting the paddy.”   He also sought cooperation from local MPs in bringing workers under the current relief programmes of the government.   Enamul Hoque said directives have also been given to ensure social distancing and other safety measures in harvesting.