With rainfall easing, rivers in Kishoreganj have started to recede. In the past 24 hours the water fell at most points in the district but rose slightly at one. After days of overcast weather, the sun has come out, bringing relief to the haor region, and farmers are busy drying their paddy.
River levels on 6 May
According to the office of the executive engineer of the Kishoreganj Water Development Board at 9am on Wednesday (6 May), the Dhanu-Baulai river at the Itna point fell to 3.28 metres, 2 centimetres lower than the previous day. The Meghna at Chamraghat stood at 2.95 metres, down 1 centimetre. The Meghna at Bhairab Bazar fell to 1.64 metres, down 7 centimetres.
The Kalni at Austagram, however, rose by 3 centimetres to 2.65 metres.
The Water Development Board said all rivers in the district are still flowing below the danger level, between 87 and 416 centimetres below it at different points.
Those involved fear that if pressure from upstream water and rainfall increase again, rivers could rise and cause fresh damage, with adverse effects on agriculture and life in the haor region.
Farmers race to save paddy
Since the sky cleared and the sun came out on Tuesday morning, activity has returned across the haor. Farmers are busy saving paddy from submerged fields and paddy piled on threshing grounds. With sunshine again on Wednesday morning, the work continued: some are lifting paddy out of the water, others drying paddy on the threshing grounds.
Md Sajjad Hossain, executive engineer of the Kishoreganj Water Development Board, said the situation is being monitored round the clock. The local administration and farmers have been asked to stay alert to tackle possible risks, and advised to cut their paddy quickly and bring it home safely.
Dr Sadiqur Rahman, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said that according to the latest field-level information, about 13,000 hectares have been submerged, affecting 50,000 farmers, with the damage greatest in Itna and Austagram upazilas. Work on listing the affected farmers is under way.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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