Farmers in Tangail and Jamalpur were looking forward to a tidy profit. They were going to take their hard earned produce to market very soon in a few days, but flooding shattered their hopes.
Hundreds of hectares of paddy fields in the two districts have gone under water with constant rainfall and water rushing down from upstream, washing out and seriously damaging their crops.
In Tangail, around 292 hectares of paddy fields including Boro and Ayush varieties have been flooded by heavy rainfall in the last few days, causing loss to farmers.
On a recent visit, this correspondent saw farmers trying to harvest the paddy in knee deep water to minimize their losses. But they could not dry out the harvested paddy due to the heavy rains.
Farm labour is also demanding high wages to harvest the flooded paddy, increasing production costs, said farmers.
Farmer Sarwar Hossain of Kagmara in Sadar upazila said he planted Boro paddy on four bighas of land. "I managed to harvest paddy from two bighas of land, but the rest was flooded in heavy rain."
Another farmer, Rupchan Miah of the area, said labourers want high wages to harvest paddy in knee deep water.
"I had to borrow to cultivate paddy and thought I would pay it off after harvesting. But my cropland went under water." said farmer Mamun Miah.
Tangail Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Deputy Director Ismail Hossain said authorities were helping farmers to harvest paddy inundated by flash floods.
In Jamalpur, the Jamuna River is suddenly rising due to heavy rains and water from upstream.
As a result, hundreds of acres of cropland have been flooded in char areas of Islampur, Melanandah, and Motherganj upazila.
Farmers are in trouble with the paddy flooded.
Abdul Karim, Suruj Ali, and Barek Mandal of Chinaduli village of Islampur upazila said they are at a loss with their paddy fields flooded.
"We are already facing a labour crisis. Now, the flooding has dealt yet another blow to our livelihoods."
Madarganj upazila agriculture officer Mahfuzul Islam said cropland in a few areas were flooded due by upstream water and heavy rainfall.
"We are yet to assess the extent of the damage." he said. "The water will recede in a few days."
