NCP seeks urgent aid for flood-hit farmers

The agriculture cell of the National Citizen Party (NCP) has submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Agriculture, urging the government to take immediate steps to address the devastating crop losses suffered by farmers in the haor region due to flashfloods and upstream water, reports UNB.
The memorandum, signed by NCP Joint Chief Coordinator and Agriculture Secretary Golam Mortuja Selim, was received by ministry officials in the absence of Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid on Tuesday.
NCP central members and agriculture cell members Touhid Ahmed Ashik and Md Omar Faruk were also present on the occasion.
In the memorandum, the party said thousands of hectares of ripe Boro paddy have already gone under water across vast haor areas in Sunamganj, Habiganj, Netrokona and Kishoreganj districts, while the remaining crops face acute risk.
It noted that around 37 per cent of the crop is still standing in the fields in an unripe state, with rapid deterioration feared due to sudden flooding.
Even harvested paddy is rotting due to inadequate drying and storage facilities, the memorandum said, adding that fodder for livestock has also been destroyed, pushing farming families to the brink.
The party cited labour shortages, inadequate mechanised support, and weak embankments as factors worsening the crisis, warning that many farmers have already lost everything and are now facing food insecurity.
It called on the government to declare flood-affected districts as disaster zones and provide emergency cash assistance and free food aid for affected farmers.
The NCP also demanded full waiver of agricultural loans for completely ruined farmers along with easy-term re-financing, and the immediate deployment of mobile drying units and temporary dryers on an emergency basis.