Our Correspondent :
About 15,000 people have been stranded in Rampal due to heavy rains and strong winds. Thousands of houses have been submerged and about 3237 fishing grounds and 3542 ponds have been washed away due to heavy rain. There has also been extensive damage to the infrastructure sector. The total loss has been recorded 3 crore 80 lakh 50 thousand taka.
However, the fisheries sector is at the top of the loss like previous natural calamities. The loss in the fisheries sector alone is 3 crore 71 lakh 70 thousand taka – which is about 95 percent of the total loss. The local fish farmers claim that this loss is recorded officially but the actual damage is much higher. Small and marginal fish farmers of Rampal Upazilla along with coastal areas have been affected by such cruel blows of nature again and again this year but no government assistance has come to the fisheries sector. All these small fish farmers of RampalUpazila have demanded low-interest loan assistance from the government at the beginning of the fishing season. Without the help of the government, the locals feel that these small and marginal farmers of the Upazila may be trapped in the hand of interest traders or various NGOs.
Information given by Rampal Upazila Administration, 10 unions in Rampal has been affected by the heavy rains and windy weather. Heavy rains have submerged the houses and kitchens of thousands of families. 14,400 people from 3650 families are trapped in the water. 3 houses were completely damaged and 12 houses were partially damaged. As a result, most of the people are living in extreme hardship without eating because they do not have the environment to cook.
The fisheries sector suffered the most due to the repeated natural disaster this year. At the beginning of the season, when the farmers prepared their fish farm plying shrimp fry, tidal surge Yass flooded 2781 fishing grounds causing a loss of tk.5croe 24lakh 34 thousand. After that, the fish farmers tried to make their fish farms by borrowing money from different NGO’s or associations. At that time, their farms infected with virus. As soon as the virus finished, heavy rains hit this fish farms.
As a result, 3237 fishing grounds of 10 unions of the Upazila with a total area of 1032 hectares were washed away. 3542 ponds with a total area of 932 hectares have flooded. The total loss in this sector has been recorded 3 crore 71 lakh 70 thousand taka. Many trees have been uprooted. In all, the estimated loss in the infrastructure sector is 6 lakh 80 thousand taka.
RampalUpazila Administration has extended a helping hand during the disaster. UpazilaN irbahi Officer Md Kabir Hossain has told the reporters that no one in the affected area would go without food. If someone needs food, they can call 333 and their food will be delivered to their house on behalf of them. He further said that the Upazila Administration is always by the side of the distressed people and is looking for the affected people. In the meantime, food assistance has been provided to 78 families by receiving phone calls from 333.
In case of heavy rains, storms, floods or any other natural calamity, the first victims are the fish farmers of the Upazila. The livelihood of the most of the people of RampalUpazilla is based on fish farming. But if the main source of income of the locality has been damaged by repeated natural calamities each year, then their sufferings knows no bound. For repeated hit of the fisheries sector, most of the small and marginal farmers has to borrow money at high interest from different NGO’s or persons. Marginal farmers of Rampal Upazilla urged to the government to provide interest free loan or low-interest loan during the beginning of the season. They also request to justify the incentive for marginal farmers as provided by the government for the exporters. Otherwise, the fish farmers in this region may leave other profession that may adversely affect export earning.
