Farmers in Jhenaidah and Gopalganj are lamenting as the mighty cyclone Amphan that swept over the two districts a few days ago has devastated vast tracts of cropland.
In Jhenaidha, as many as 227,000 farmers suffered heavy losses as a total of 12,138 hectares of cropland were damaged.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), 1,500 hectares of banana, 1,025 hectares of vegetables, 1,950 hectares of green grams, 2,020 hectares of sesame, 750 hectares of green chilli, 100 hectares of Boro paddy, 1,500 hectares of betel leaf, 2,850 hectares of mangoes and 418 hectares of lychee have been completely damaged due to Amphan, measuring at a loss of over Tk88 core.
Farmer Rasedul Islam of Bhabanipur village in Harinakundo upazila said he had cultivated betel leaf on 1.5 bigha of land this season. But the cyclone damaged the whole garden, causing loss of Tk 2 lakh. "I now need around Tk1 lakh to repair my garden."
Regarding the matter, DAE Deputy Director Kripangshu Shekhor Biswas said authorities already made a list of farmers whose produce was damaged to help them out from the sufferings. "We are also giving advice to the farmers on how to reserve and sell the rest of the crops."
In Gopalganj, around 500 bighas of paddy in Gohala union of Muksudpur upazila still remain under water after the Cyclone Amphan lashed the district with ferocious wind and heavy rainfall a few days ago.
"The rainwater in 15 villages of Gohala and Nonikkhi union would normally drain out through the Telikanda canal to a large canal in Gohala area. As the Telikanda canal is filled with garbage, the water in the cropland remains stagnant." said farmer Mintu Kazi of Lakhonda village.
Regarding the matter, Gopalganj Water Development Board (WDB)Executive Engineer Biswajit Baroi said: "We will inspect the area and will take up a project to solve the problem. I hope the farmers will get rid of the problem once the project is sanctioned and completed.
