Several days of continuous rain have submerged Aus rice, Amon seedbeds, broadcast Amon, jute, vegetables, orchards, betel leaf and watermelon standing in the fields of 21 districts. Floodwater washes away not only farmers' crops and homes but people's lives, dreams and futures. It is a cruel repetition, the same scene year after year, yet there is still no preparation or lasting solution.
Every time, the country is unprepared, and every time thousands of families lose everything. What is needed is not relief but deliverance. Standing crops on about 72,076 hectares have gone under water. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) confirmed this, and the Ministry of Agriculture announced it in a press release on Thursday night.
Crops affected
The rain has submerged Aus rice, Amon seedbeds, broadcast Amon, jute, vegetables, orchards, betel leaf and watermelon in the fields. The areas affected are:
- Aus rice: 44,662 hectares
- Amon seedbeds: 14,393 hectares
- Broadcast Amon: 297 hectares
- Vegetables: 9,673 hectares
- Betel leaf: 387 hectares
- Jute: 135 hectares
- Banana: 114 hectares
- Papaya: 293 hectares
- Chilli: 104 hectares
- Summer watermelon and other crops: 281 hectares
The worst-hit districts are Cumilla with 11,590 hectares (Aus, Amon, vegetables, chilli, sugarcane), Noakhali with 7,806 hectares (Aus, Amon, watermelon) and Feni with 1,655 hectares (Aus, Amon, vegetables, chilli). In all, crops on 72,076 hectares have gone under water in Cumilla, Chandpur, Brahmanbaria, Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Khagrachhari, Pabna, Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Narail, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola and Shariatpur districts.
Weather and forecast
The rain is mainly due to an active south-west monsoon and a low-pressure area over the north-west Bay of Bengal. It has caused temporary waterlogging in places in Dhaka and in the Chattogram, Khulna and Barishal regions. The heaviest rainfall in the previous 24 hours was 85 mm at Laxmipur (Ramgati), 80 mm at Gopalganj, 73 mm at Baghabari (Rajshahi) and 71 mm at Aricha.
Meteorologist Tariful Newaz Kabir said the low over West Bengal and adjoining areas has weakened and merged with the monsoon axis, so rain eased somewhat on Thursday and the weather is gradually improving from Friday. Even so, light to moderate rain and gusty winds were seen in various parts of the country on Friday. With no squally winds over the north Bay of Bengal, the warning signals at the four sea ports have been lowered.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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