With the continuous rain easing, river levels in Kishoreganj have started to fall, and all rivers in the district are now flowing below the danger level. But sudden showers from time to time are causing trouble for farmers. The sun has been out since this morning.

According to the office of the executive engineer of the Kishoreganj Water Development Board at 9am on Thursday (7 May), the Dhanu-Baulai river at the Itna point fell to 3.27 metres, down 1 centimetre in 24 hours. The Meghna at Chamraghat stood at 2.93 metres, down 2 centimetres. The Kalni at Austagram fell to 2.57 metres, down 8 centimetres. The Meghna at Bhairab Bazar was at 1.62 metres, down 2 centimetres.

The Water Development Board said the district's rivers are still well below the danger level, flowing 88 to 418 centimetres below it at different points.

After several days of rain, the sky has cleared and the sun has come out, bringing life back to the haor region. Farmers are busy recovering paddy from submerged fields and drying paddy kept on threshing grounds. But sudden showers now and then are causing problems.

Those involved fear that if water from upstream and heavy rain return, river levels could rise again, with fresh impact on agriculture and life in the haor region.

Md Sajjad Hossain, executive engineer of the Kishoreganj Water Development Board, said the situation is being monitored round the clock, and the local administration and farmers have been asked to stay alert to tackle possible risks.

Dr Sadiqur Rahman, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said that according to information up to 4 May, paddy on 11,122 hectares in the district's 13 upazilas is under water, affecting about 50,000 farmers, with losses of about Tk 259 crore. Since then, about 1,500 more hectares of boro paddy have been newly submerged. Work on listing the affected farmers is under way.

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