The severe cyclone Remal, which pounded Bangladesh from May 26 to 27, have done significant damage to the agricultural sector, affecting paddy, vegetables, fruits, betel leaves, fisheries and livestock.
According to both agriculture, and fisheries and livestock ministries, a total of 48 districts across the country have borne the brunt of Remal's wrath.
Among the hardest-hit regions are coastal Barisal division, including Barisal, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Patuakhali, Barguna and Bhola, Khulna division comprising Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and Narail, and Chattogram region, including Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur and Cox's Bazar.
Preliminary assessments of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) found that more than 0.18-million hectares out of the total 1.43-million hectares of cultivated land have been adversely affected.
The cyclone wreaked havoc on crops like Aus seedbed on 10,843 hectares, T-Aus on 21,434, Boro on 7,730, summer vegetables on 52,190, jute on 29,749, sesame on 7,536, mung bean on 3,507 and betel leaf on 7,058.
Mango orchards on 4,708 hectares, litchi on 1,575 and banana on 7,613 also suffered extensive damage.
Barishal region has been battered by Remal.
Farmers here have lost crops on 54,564 hectares, including Aus seedbed on 9,101, T-Aus on 17,010, mung bean on 2,419, vegetables on 17,247 and betel leaf on 3,473.
An estimated 0.173-million farmers have been affected by the cyclone and subsequent driving rain, according to the DAE.
DAE director Tazul Islam Patwary said the assessment of damage was well underway across the affected areas, extending beyond Barishal.
The full extent of the devastation would only be surveyed following a thorough evaluation, he said.
Meanwhile, fisheries ministry said 75,500 shrimp, fish and crab farms were affected, with 45,000 being severely damaged, thereby causing Tk 6.97-billion losses for farm owners.
According to the Department of Livestock Service, 0.17-million cows, goats, buffaloes and sheep, and 1.0-million chickens and ducks were hit hard in the coastal districts.
However, the livestock ministry is yet to disclose the latest losses from the cyclone in terms of money.
Dr Wais Kabir, former executive chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), said the cyclone caused widespread devastation for crops and vegetable fields, fruit orchards, shrimp and other fish farms in both coastal and non-coastal regions.
Farmers, fish, dairy farm owners, cattle-rearers and people who lost their dwelling places due to Remal should be given adequate compensations.
Dr Kabir suggested rehabilitation work to be done immediately to bring people back to normalcy.
However, Bangladesh has witnessed five cyclones in the last twelve-and-a-half months, with the latest cyclone Remal wreaking havoc on its coastal belt.
Climatologists and meteorologists said cyclone has become random nowadays in the Bay of Bengal compared to four decades back due to changing climate patterns.
Prof AKM Saiful Islam of the Institute of Water and Flood Management at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology told the FE that sea temperature has been rising amid global warming.
A cyclone forms when the average temperature of a sea crosses 27 degrees Celsius, he said, adding that the Bay's temperature is now 31 degrees. He said the Indian Ocean has been warming faster than other oceanic systems, which is also another ominous signal for Bangladesh.
Prof Islam said the average temperature of land has increased by 1.1 degrees and the sea by 1.0 degree.
Bangladesh will witness cyclonic events randomly, so it should adopt financial and development policies, he observed.As global climate is changing for developed countries, Bangladesh has the right to get damages from global climate funds, he cited.
Prof Islam referred to the United Nations' adoption of a loss-and-damage fund in its last climate conference (COP28) in Dubai.
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