Farmers in northeastern haor regions are facing a deepening crisis as sudden floods, triggered by heavy rainfall, upstream hill water, and embankment breaches, have submerged vast areas of standing Boro paddy, sparking concerns over national food security.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), around 46,730 hectares of paddy fields across seven haor districts are now under water, accounting for more than 10 per cent of the 0.455 million hectares of cultivated Boro land in these low-lying areas.
If the submerged crops cannot be harvested promptly, the country could face a production loss of over 0.20 million tonnes of rice, officials warned.
With water levels in major rivers continuing to rise, there are fears of prolonged inundation and further crop damage, they added.
A DAE assessment conducted between April 26 and May 2 reveals that most haor areas in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Sunamganj, Netrakona, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria remain inundated.On average, 10.27 per cent of standing paddy in these districts is still submerged, with reports indicating ripe crops beginning to rot in waterlogged fields.
Sunamganj has suffered the worst damage, with 14,371 hectares submerged, followed by Netrakona (11,522 hectares) and Kishoreganj (9,045 hectares).
Significant losses have also been recorded in Habiganj (8,750 hectares), Moulvibazar (2,160 hectares), Sylhet (510 hectares), and Brahmanbaria (372 hectares).
However, field-level assessments suggest actual losses may exceed official estimates.
Based on an average yield of 4.47 tonnes per hectare, the potential damage to submerged areas could result in a production shortfall of more than 0.208 million tonnes of rice, the DAE said.
Meanwhile, the crisis is being intensified by an acute shortage of agricultural labour, soaring wage costs, limited access to harvesting machinery, and a sharp decline in paddy market prices.
Chhabirul Islam, a farmer from Mithamoin in Kishoreganj, said labour wages have more than doubled -- from Tk 500-600 per worker to as high as Tk 1,200-2,000. Yet, workers remain scarce. Flooded conditions, he added, have drastically reduced harvesting efficiency.
"The use of combine harvesters is also constrained due to waterlogged fields, and available machines are charging three to four times higher than usual rates," Islam said.
Md Kamrul, a farmer from Tahirpur in Sunamganj, expressed frustration over plummeting prices despite mounting losses. "Prices of wet paddy have declined to Tk 600-700 per maund (40 kg), far below the government's minimum price of Tk 1,440," he said.
Although the government initiated paddy and rice procurement in haor areas 12 days ahead of schedule, Kamrul noted that the impact on local market prices remains limited.
Compounding the agricultural emergency, six rivers in the northeastern region were flowing above the danger mark on Sunday.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre reported that the Naljur River at Jagannathpur (Sunamganj), Bhugai-Kangsha River at Jariajanjail (Netrokona), Someshwari River at Kamalakanda, Mogra River at Netrokona and Atpara, and Sutang River at Sutang-Railway Bridge (Habiganj) were all flowing above pre-monsoon danger levels.
The centre forecasted that water levels of the Surma-Kushiyara river system in Sylhet and Sunamganj may rise further over the next three days, potentially worsening flood conditions in adjacent low-lying haor areas.
Addressing the situation, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid described the damage as "relatively small" due to prior preparedness, though he acknowledged that sudden natural disasters remain beyond human control.
He confirmed that, following directives from the Prime Minister, the government has initiated measures to provide three months of food assistance to affected farmers.
"The agriculture ministry has begun compiling a list of affected farmers and assessing the total damage," the minister said.
DAE Director General Md. Abdur Rahim said final estimates are still being prepared, as many farmers continue efforts to salvage crops.
He added that higher yields in other districts may help offset losses in haor areas.
Agriculture expert Wais Kabir warned that continued adverse weather -- including heavy rain, flash floods, and hailstorms -- could disrupt rice production not only in haor areas but also across the country.
Any significant drop in Boro output, which accounts for about 58 per cent of the country's total rice production, could pose serious risks to food security in the coming months, said the former executive chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council.
He suggested increasing direct procurement of Boro rice from farmers and providing affected growers with both food support and agricultural inputs.
He also emphasised the need for greater mechanisation, noting that wider use of combine harvesters could allow farmers to harvest crops two to three weeks earlier, reducing weather-related losses.
Nationwide, Boro cultivation has covered around 5.05 million hectares this season, with a production target of 22 million tonnes, according to the DAE.
The haor region contributes roughly 10 per cent of the country's total Boro output.
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