Hill runoff from upstream has caused the Jamuna river to rise out of season in Dhunat upazila of Bogura. As the water keeps rising, low-lying parts of the chars have gone under, submerging fields of rice, onion, groundnut and other crops. Farmers along the Jamuna are at a loss over the ruined crops.

According to local sources, countless chars have emerged in the Jamuna, and people displaced by river erosion have brought about a farming revolution on these sandbanks, growing golden crops in the sand. The fields are now green, with wheat, maize, potatoes and many other crops and vegetables. Where only a handful of crops were once grown, almost every kind of crop, including vegetables, is now cultivated, and much fallow land has come under the plough. The char people, who battle river erosion and other natural disasters, have been weaving dreams of better days through farming.

But for several days, hill runoff from upstream has sent the Jamuna rising suddenly, submerging rice, groundnut, onion and other crops planted on the river's slopes and on low char land. In desperation, many farmers are cutting unripe boro rice to feed their cattle and buffaloes.

Babul Sheikh, a farmer from Pukhuria village on the Jamuna bank, said: "Just seeing floodwater frightens me. Water has started coming onto the low char land. I have planted onions on one bigha. The way the river is rising, I don't know whether I will be able to harvest the crop. I am also worried about the groundnuts."

Farhad Hossain, a farmer from Bhutbari village in the same area, said: "We live all year on what we grow on char land. We suffer from floods every year. I have planted rice and onions on one bigha, and I thought I would make a profit. Now I see the water rising. If it keeps rising like this, the land will go under within 4–5 days."

Farmer Abdur Razzak said: "I borrowed and spent Tk 10,000 to plant black boro rice on my land. There were still many days left before the rice ripened. Before that, the runoff finished everything."

Dhunat upazila agriculture officer Chhamidul Islam said: "This season boro rice, onion and groundnut were grown on char land. Because the Jamuna has risen out of season, quite a few boro fields have been submerged. We are keeping track all the time and taking care that farmers do not suffer losses."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.