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.  

Twelve out of 57 water regulators in Sunamganj's haor region have become completely inoperative, disrupting the drainage system crucial for boro crops, freshwater fish and aquatic biodiversity. Although 36 regulators remain functional, the dysfunctional ones require urgent repairs, according to local farmers and officials. Constructed by the Water Development Board (WDB), the regulators—ranging from one to six vents—play a vital role in managing water levels in the haor. Year's of alleged neglect have left a dozen regulators unable to drain water, raising concerns among farmers about potential crop damage from flash floods. Farmers have also expressed concerns about the lack of proper drainage affecting fish movement during the monsoon. Regulator Conditions by Division According to WDB sources, Division-1 oversees 33 regulators, of which nine are completely inoperative. While 23 remain operational, most require maintenance to function effectively. The inoperative regulators include Bagiani-1 and Ahammakkhali sluice gates in Tahirpur, the pipe sluice gates in Bishwambharpur and Krishtola, as well as the Rainga, Buridanga, Dalia, Beheli, and Dhankunia regulators. India did not notify in advance before opening sluice gates: Adviser Rizwana Similarly, Division-2 manages 24 regulators, three of which are entirely out of order, while six others are on the verge of malfunctioning. Of the 13 functional regulators, six require urgent repairs. Three regulators in Nalua Haor have remained inoperative for years, causing significant problems for local farmers. Wider Issue with Water Management The issue is not limited to WDB-constructed regulators. Many regulators built by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) are also non-functional, offering little benefit to farmers. Despite repeated complaints, no significant repair initiatives have been taken. Farmers in haor areas face severe water drainage problems, particularly during excessive rainfall and waterlogging, as the embankments surrounding the haors prevent natural water flow. 300,000 hectares of cropland made bare by unplanned Beanibazar sluice gate "Our haor is one of the largest Boro-producing areas in the district, yet three major regulators have been non-functional for years. This has led to drainage problems and increased the risk of crop loss from flash floods," said Abdul Majid, a farmer from Nalua Haor. He urged the authorities to expedite repair and reconstruction efforts. Call for Upgrades Professor Chittaranjan Talukdar, vice-president of the Haor Bachao Andolon, stressed the importance of upgrading and widening the regulators to facilitate boat movement. "Sluice gates are one of the oldest and most effective water management tools. If these are not upgraded, people break embankments near the regulators to create boat passages, rendering the regulators ineffective," he warned. Sunamganj WDB Executive Engineer Mamun Hawlader said a new project has been initiated to construct multi-part regulators and undertake necessary repairs. "The work has already begun. Once completed, the water drainage problem will be significantly reduced," he added. Significance of the Haor Region Situated in the northeastern part of Bangladesh, the Haor Basin is a geological depression covering 860,000 hectares and home to over 20 million people. Ballooning number of crop protection dams in Sunamganj haor region raises concern The region remains one of the most poverty-stricken in the country, with a significant portion of its population classified as ultra-poor. The Haor region contributes approximately 16.5% of Bangladesh's total rice production.

Floodwater started entering Baram and Darakhai Haors in Derai and Jagannathpur upazilas of Sunamganj on Thursday overflowing the flood protection dam in Kalni River, causing worry to local farmers. Following the authority’s instruction farmers of Sunamganj haor region have started harvesting half-ripe paddy to reduce losses. Water overflowed from Kalni River through the middle part of Chandipur-Khejaura since Thursday morning, said Mahmudur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Dirai upazila. Read: Modern launch terminal to be constructed in Chandpur About four thousand hectares of land were cultivated in this haor. According to the locals, 60 per cent of the paddy in the haor has been harvested. If flooding in haor continues, the rest of the paddy will go under water. Bimal Chandra Som, deputy director of the district Agricultural Extension Department, said another crops on 1,000 hectares of land in Baram Haor has not been harvested yet. However, most of the crops of Pathar Haor have been reaped. The harvesting  of Boro paddy is still continuing in these two haors, the official added.

Hundreds of farmers in Sunamganj’s haor areas started harvesting paddy after getting an early flood warning from the district administration and local weather office.   Warned by local weather office about untimely heavy rain, the district administration recently announced over loudspeaker that untimely flood may damage the crops in the haor area.   But labour shortage amid the ongoing holidays to contain transmission of coronavirus, has become a major headache for the farmers desperate to save their crops.   Visiting several haors in the district on Sunday, the UNB correspondent saw farmers and their children busy harvesting. In many cases, voluntary organisations and students were helping the farmers.   Sources at Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said they expect a production of 12 lakh tonnes of Boro paddy from 219,300 hectares in the district.   Meanwhile, Abu Syed Chowdhury, meteorologist, Sylhet Weather Office, said about 200mm rain may occur in between April 17 and 21 according to the meteorological calculation. That may be the reason of an unwanted flood in the haor region, he added.   Warned by the meteorologist, the district administration has been encouraging local farmers to harvest paddy as soon as possible to save it from flood.