Floods damage crops worth Tk 480m in Sylhet division

The latest floods and rolling water from upstream Indian states of Assam and Tripura have caused large-scale damage to standing crops in Sylhet region in addition to road links and flood-control structures.

The third phase of severe floods of the year had shattered local farmers’ attempt to recoup previous damage, officials and farmers said.

Aus harvest was nearing end while transplanting Aman saplings was also at last stages.

Most of the farmers would not be able to do things anew while only a few have been trying to arrange Aman seedbed somehow, said farmer Abdul Hasib of Baushi village in Golapganj upazila.

When asked, DAE Sylhet division additional director Md Matiuzzaman said a total of 10,800 flood-affected farmers were given 5.0-kg free seeds of short duration Bri Dhan-75 and BINA-17 each.

They are also being given 10-kg DAP and 10-kg MoP fertiliser in addition to Tk 1,000 each.

The recipients include 4800 in Sylhet, 4,000 in Moulvibazar and 2,000 in Habiganj.

They will be able to harvest the paddy in 110 to 115 days, the official said.

Forest, environment and climate change and water resources adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan visited affected areas in Habiganj district a few days ago.

She also advised the concerned officials to take immediate measures to assist the farmers and common people.

A DAE official said a detailed report had been prepared on the basis of field reports collected from upazila-level officials. It has already been sent to agriculture ministry.

The report showed as many as 111,654 farmers were badly affected while 71,897 tonnes of crops on 23,596 hectares of land were damaged or washed away in the region.

Of the total, 33,748 farmers were affected in Sylhet where crops worth Tk 480 million (48 crore) were damaged, 41,180 over affected in Moulvibazar where crops worth Tk 2.05 billion were damaged.

In Habiganj, the number of affected farmers stood at 36,506 while crops worth Tk 460 million were damaged.

However the number of affected farmers in Sunamganj stood at 220.

The official further said the damaged crops include transplanted Aman and its seedbed on 40,966 hectares of land, summer vegetables on 849 hectares and standing Aus paddy on 1408 hectares in the region.

Time is short to prepare seedbeds again, while Aus harvest has already started in some areas. Transplanting Aman paddy is also nearing end, the official added.

With the recession of waters in some areas, farmers have already started preparing their lands for early varieties of winter crops, said a number of farmers and officials.