Tk7.50b Boro paddy spoilt by rains, flash flood in Sylhet

OUR CORRESPONDENT
SYLHET, May 11: While the farmers in greater Sylhet are still continuing their high labour-intensive venture to harvest Boro paddy, about 40 per cent of the job is yet to be completed for the extensive inundation of their fields caused by incessant rainfalls and runoff.
However, officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said that 68 per harvest of the Boro paddy has been completed somehow as most of the fields were under water where use of combine harvesters was not possible at all.
Contacted, DAE Additional Director of Sylhet division Dr. Mosharraf Hossain said it is the common picture. But in the haor region Boro harvest has been completed by over 80 per cent while it is 48 per cent in the non-haor region. "We hope the job would be completed in two or three weeks," he assured.
A report prepared by the DAE said this year's rains and early flood caused by hill water from Meghalaya have so far caused damage to paddy on over 32,015 hectares of land in the region, although over 38,000 hectares were inundated.
The affected area includes 100,99 hectares in Habiganj, 4,206 hectares in Moulvibazar, 590 hectares in Sylhet and highest 14,348 hectares in Sunamganj.
The total crop loss would be worth about Tk 7.50 billion, the official said. However, preparation of the final statement will take some more time. The number of affected families is 51,000. But locals claimed the actual extents of damage and loss would be higher.
Most people of the haor areas were just unable to accept the loss of the crop that is their dream for the entire year as many had to harvest paddy from inundated lands to use them as cow feed.
Many well-to-do farmers just witnessed their 50 or 60 per cent crop getting lost due to inundation, but could not do anything.
After planting crops on the land on credit, everything ends with a little rain. Ataur Rahman of Sunamganj lamented that crores of taka are being looted in the haor region in the name of embankments. The government should look into the affairs as crop damage is happening almost every year.
Farmers were seen even collecting rotten straw while many were engaged in drying wet paddy on open fields, roadside places or raised up lands.
Activists of Haor Banchao Andolan demanded immediate actions against corrupt officials for faulty construction of embankments.
However, the government had already provided financial assistance to some listed farmers for months to face the crisis after the huge crop loss.
Meanwhile, several ministers and officials visited Sunamganj district to see for themselves the devastation and assured the victims of taking effective measures in near future.
"The affected farmers will be given fertilisers and seeds in the next season. In addition, talks have been held with the Water Development Board to determine the cost of building embankments in the future, including sluice gates, for a permanent solution to protect the crops of the haor farmers," said the additional chief engineer of WDB, Sylhet region, Md. Kaiser Alam.
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