Floodwaters submerge Boro fields in Sunamganj, farmers fear massive losses

Widespread waterlogging in the haor wetlands of Sunamganj district has submerged thousands of hectares of Boro paddy fields following days of continuous rainfall, leaving farmers fearing major crop losses and financial hardship.

According to district Department of Agricultural Extension, at least 1,189 hectares of land across 12 upazilas have already gone underwater.

However, farmers say the actual extent of submerged farmland is likely much higher. Concerns are also growing over the lack of effective measures to drain the water or protect the haors.

In Madhyanagar upazila, farmer Anwar Mia from Rongchi village said around 300 decimal of his land has been submerged in chest-deep water. He fears the remaining crops may also be lost if rainfall continues.

Having taken loans to cultivate his fields, he now worries about how he will support his family if the harvest fails.

He also expressed concern about a shortage of cattle feed in the coming months. He added that timely drainage within the next few days could still save part of the crop.

Intermittent rainfall has triggered waterlogging across several haors in the district, submerging immature Boro paddy fields.

In some cases, tensions have emerged between farmers and local authorities when farmers attempted to cut embankments to release trapped water.

During a recent visit to Bainchapra haor, vast stretches of green paddy fields were seen underwater; ranging from waist-deep to even higher levels.

Locals estimate that in this area alone, more than 100 hectares of crops across four to five villages have already been affected. Farmers have been trying to pump out water using irrigation machines over the past few days.

Another farmer, Badal Sarkar from Chamordani village, said it costs between Tk 5,000 and Tk 7,000 to cultivate one bigha of land. “We invested everything with hope and now thousands of farmers like me are in distress. If the water is not drained soon, all the crops will be lost,” he said.

Similar reports have come from other upazilas, including sadar, Dharmapasha, Bishwambarpur, Tahirpur, Jamalganj, Shantiganj and Derai-Shalla, where low-lying haor areas are increasingly affected by flooding.

In desperation, some farmers are attempting to cut embankments themselves to release water.

Faruk Ahmed, former chairman of Shantiganj Upazila Parishad, said farmers are caught in a difficult situation, as cutting embankments could create further risks in the future.

Haor and River Protection Movement General Secretary Obaidul Haque Milon blamed unplanned embankment construction, claiming that nearly 30 percent of the paddy has already been submerged.

He warned that if the water remains for another week, the crops could be completely destroyed.

Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr Mohammad Elias Mia said embankments are designed to prevent external water from entering haors. However, unusually heavy rainfall; between 70 and 100 millimeters in recent days, has caused internal waterlogging, raising concerns about farmers’ food security.

He urged farmers not to cut embankments on their own, warning that doing so could worsen the situation if more water enters.

He added that committees have been formed at upazila level and authorities will take coordinated decisions on drainage based on the evolving conditions.