Heavy rains, coupled with water stream from neighbouring India, left more than 2.0 million people marooned along with flooding of 0.3 million hectares of farmland with seasonal Aman crop and vegetables in last seven days, officials said.
Water in the country's 53 rivers was on a rising trend worsening the flood condition further on Wednesday by inundating many fresh areas in the country, according to Deputy Commissioners' (DC) offices and Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in the districts under Rangpur, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Khulna and Chittagong divisions.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) offices in the concerned districts said if flood water doesn't recede within a week, Aman crops will be damaged severely. A moderate flood is now prevailing in parts of Nilphamari, Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gainbandha, Bogra, Natore, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Rajbari, Manikganj, Netrakona, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Jessore and Narayanganj districts.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) under the BWDB in its forecast at 6.00 pm on Wednesday said water rose in 53 rivers in a day while 17 rivers in 20 districts were flowing above the danger mark (DM).
Another 16 rivers are about to touch the DM as rain will continue throughout the month, as per the monthly forecast of the Bangladesh Metrological Department (BMD).
The Jamuna in four districts, the Padma in two districts, the Teesta, Dharala and Brahmaputra in three districts and the Surama and the Kushiyara in two districts were flowing above the danger mark.
The river Kansha in Durgapur under Netrakona was flowing over the DM by 1.05 metres on Wednesday.
The FFWC forecast said the Brahmaputra-Jamuna system was in rising trend while the Padma river was on a steady position.
The overall flood situation in districts of north and central parts of the country might deteriorate in next two days while it might start improving in the north-eastern region of the country, the FFWC said.
Director General of DAE Md Hamidur Rahman said nearly 0.3 million hectares of Aman and vegetable lands have been inundated so far in northern and north-eastern districts.
Extension officials are working with the farmers who were told to prepare seed-beds with varieties like Najirshail, Latishail, BR-22 and BR-23 varieties of rice which could be planted until September-end.
If water recedes within a few days, it might rather help increase production, he said.
However, Kurigram was the worst-affected district this year in flood.
The district office of DAE, Kurigram confirmed that nearly 40,000 hectares of Aman and 10,000 hectares of vegetable fields have been flooded in the district.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Fulbari in Kurigram Md Nasuruddin Mahmud told the FE that incessant rain along with gushing water from the neighbouring country caused severe flood in 61 unions under Ulipur, Chilmari, Rajibpur, Nageshawry, Raumari Kurigram Sadar and Fulbari upazilas.
Nearly 0.5 million people have been marooned in the district, he said.
He said Fulbari was the latest area that was inundated by flood water in last two days.
He said the river Dharala was flowing over the DM by 45 cm on Wednesday, flooding many fresh areas including the former enclave Dashiarchhora.
"We have distributed 18 tonnes of rice and Tk 20,000 in two unions of Fulbari including the Dashiarchhora," he said.
An official at the BWDB said that water-level in the Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Padma, Shurma river basins is on a rising trend.
He said if heavy rainfall continues throughout September, water might start rising also in the Meghna basin which could further inundate vast areas.
According to Met office, rain was recorded in August at 7 per cent higher than the average.
The monthly forecast of the office also predicted similar rainfall in September.
The forecast showed one or two depression might occur in the Bay in the current month which might increase average rate of rain.
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2.0m marooned by heavy rain, upstream water
FE Report | Published: September 03, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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