State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruk on Thursday said that the damages caused by the recent flash floods in Sunamganj haor areas were less severe compared to the previous years due to the well-built levees.
He was talking with journalists after visiting Shantiganj, Jagannathpur and Derai upazilas.
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Zahid asked the officials concerned to take necessary actions to help the affected farmers.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), a total of 5,660 hectares in 17 small and large haors and canals have been inundated by flash floods so far.
He added that the flood was caused by an upstream hill rush from March 30. Since then, officials and staff of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and other workers were giving all-out efforts to protect the damaged embankments.
“In the next Boro season, the affected farmers will be given free seeds and fertilizers along with various food aids including Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF),” he said.
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“The government is providing a 70% subsidy to the farmers in the haor area to ease their burden of production cost,” he added.
41% harvesting completed
A total of 41% of paddy harvesting in the haor area was completed as of Wednesday with the Agriculture Ministry providing necessary assistance to the farmers for speedy harvesting of ripened paddy, officials say.
Of these, 38% was harvested in Kishoreganj, 73% in Netrokona, 29% in Brahmanbaria, 37% in Sylhet, 36% in Moulvibazar, 25% in Habiganj and 42% in Sunamganj, a ministry press release said, reports BSS.
Considering the heavy rainfall, necessary instructions have been given to the farmers to harvest paddy from the haor as soon as it is 80% matured.
An adequate supply of combine harvester and reaper has been ensured from other districts to this end, the statement said.
At present, about 1,700 combined harvesters and reapers are being used to harvest paddy in haor. Of them, 1,100 combined harvesters have been bought locally and 350 brought from outside or other districts.
According to the DAE, Boro paddy has been cultivated in 452,138 hectares of land in the seven districts and 498,180 hectares of land in non-haor areas.
Of this, paddy from 9,700 hectares of land in haor areas has been affected by heavy rains and upstream water, which is 1% of the total cultivation.
