The Padma has risen twice in the past 15 days at Ishwardi in Pabna. On 26 September the water level at the Hardinge Bridge point was measured at 12.38 metres, the highest at that point this year. The water then fell from 30 September to 3 October, when it was measured at 12.16 metres. Two days later, on 5 October, it began to rise again and was measured at 12.25 metres. On the morning of the 6th it fell by 1 centimetre to 12.24 metres, and on the 7th it fell again to 12.14 metres.

Water Development Board officials said that although the water has fallen for now, it may rise again. Harisun Naim Ibne Salam, reader at the Pabna Water Development Board, confirmed the rise of the Padma at the Hardinge Bridge point. Meanwhile, rising rivers across the country have caused flooding, and people along the Padma are alarmed at the prospect of floods and river erosion.

Swapan Hossain, a shopkeeper at No 5 Sara ghat, said the river had fallen about a week ago but began rising again three days ago. "The rising water is spreading fear among ordinary people. I have never seen the river rise before October. I don't understand why it is rising out of season this time," he said.

Biswajit Haldar, who fishes by boat near the Hardinge Bridge, told Jagonews that the Padma had started rising again over the past three days, and the current had strengthened with it. Thirteen of the Hardinge Bridge's 15 girders are now under water, and the water is close to another, which it could reach at any time. The way the water is rising has alarmed local people, he said.

The rising Padma has flooded hundreds of hectares of land on the Lakshmikunda, Dadapur, Bilkedar and Degreechar chars. The banana char has been washed away and vegetable crops on these chars have been submerged. The Padma char area of Sara union is now entirely under the river, and hundreds of hectares of cultivable char land are under water, causing heavy losses to farmers.

Abdul Halim, a farmer from Charbamni in Sara, said: "I have never before seen the Padma rise in September and October. In other years we start preparing to grow winter vegetables on this char land once the water goes down. This time all this land is under water."

Alauddin, a farmer on Lakshmikunda char, said the untimely rise of the Padma and repeated heavy rain had caused huge damage to vegetable yields, with most vegetable fields under water. "Only farmers can understand how much farmers have lost," he said.

Elias Hossain, assistant engineer at the Pabna Water Development Board, told Jagonews that the Padma was rising because of upstream flows and heavy rain. The danger level at the Paksey Hardinge Bridge point is 13.80 metres, and the water level there is currently 12.24 metres. There is no chance of the water crossing the danger level, he said.

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