HEAVY rain and gushing water from the upstream have washed away thousands of hectares of Boro fields in haor areas of Sunamganj, Habiganj, Kishoreganj and Netrokona districts at a time when farmers were about to start harvesting of paddy from mid-April. Farmers also lost fish stocks as the floodwater has washed away ponds and water bodies that were cultivated by individual farmers.
As immediate affect of flood loss of Boro paddy, rice price has already shot up in the market by Tk 5 to 6 per kg. It appears that like floods the government also has no control over rice market as traders started exploiting consumers. We must say it is not acceptable.
As per report, over 1.50 lakh hectares of Boro fields have been destroyed rendering farmers to lose their entire crops; which give them both food and cash for family maintenance. Loss in fisheries is yet to be estimated. Report said at least one farmer died from heart attack at a village in Austagram upazila of Kishoreganj district as he saw his entire crop being washed away. The cries of farmers in haor areas are thickening the air.
Rain was pouring in last week in some northeastern districts before arrival of monsoon. At many places river embankments were destroyed by gushing water inundating low lying areas and endangering human life and safety of cattle heads. Heavy down pour in the hilly Meghalayan districts across the border caused the flash flood in Sunamgonj haors and adjoining districts. Flood water from Silchar district of Assam in the Indian side of the border also aggravated the situation.
It goes without saying that common river management with India is very important to protect Bangladesh; but Indian non-cooperation is making it almost impossible. Meanwhile gushing water continues flooding the haors as big embankments in Habiganj and Kishoreganj districts remained unprotected and widening of gap in broken embankments is further spreading the flood. The situation continues to deteriorate as the concerned authorities of the government find it difficult to take up repair work when water is running high.
We must say untimely flood has left the people of haor areas almost ruined from destruction of Boro crop, which grow only once a year. They are counting difficult time ahead how to live a year without harvest. In our view the government must take up a special funding scheme to help the helpless farmers how to grow some other crops at high land to overcome some losses. They may be given loans, seeds and other inputs on easy term. Meanwhile, Water Development Board must take up urgent repair work to contain the damage that the floods have caused to environment and human life.
We want to see real development in the ground without tall talks about development. People must get help to return to normal life from this disaster.
As immediate affect of flood loss of Boro paddy, rice price has already shot up in the market by Tk 5 to 6 per kg. It appears that like floods the government also has no control over rice market as traders started exploiting consumers. We must say it is not acceptable.
As per report, over 1.50 lakh hectares of Boro fields have been destroyed rendering farmers to lose their entire crops; which give them both food and cash for family maintenance. Loss in fisheries is yet to be estimated. Report said at least one farmer died from heart attack at a village in Austagram upazila of Kishoreganj district as he saw his entire crop being washed away. The cries of farmers in haor areas are thickening the air.
Rain was pouring in last week in some northeastern districts before arrival of monsoon. At many places river embankments were destroyed by gushing water inundating low lying areas and endangering human life and safety of cattle heads. Heavy down pour in the hilly Meghalayan districts across the border caused the flash flood in Sunamgonj haors and adjoining districts. Flood water from Silchar district of Assam in the Indian side of the border also aggravated the situation.
It goes without saying that common river management with India is very important to protect Bangladesh; but Indian non-cooperation is making it almost impossible. Meanwhile gushing water continues flooding the haors as big embankments in Habiganj and Kishoreganj districts remained unprotected and widening of gap in broken embankments is further spreading the flood. The situation continues to deteriorate as the concerned authorities of the government find it difficult to take up repair work when water is running high.
We must say untimely flood has left the people of haor areas almost ruined from destruction of Boro crop, which grow only once a year. They are counting difficult time ahead how to live a year without harvest. In our view the government must take up a special funding scheme to help the helpless farmers how to grow some other crops at high land to overcome some losses. They may be given loans, seeds and other inputs on easy term. Meanwhile, Water Development Board must take up urgent repair work to contain the damage that the floods have caused to environment and human life.
We want to see real development in the ground without tall talks about development. People must get help to return to normal life from this disaster.
