The devastating floods have damaged standing crops worth Tk 1153 crore affecting at least 6, 53,452 farmers in 31 districts, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension. Heavy rains together with onrush of waters from upstream India since the 1st week of July, caused the devastating floods in Bangladesh’s northern and central districts. The DAE officials told New Age that the floods damaged standing aus, transplanted and broadcast aman, aman seedbeds, jute, vegetables, betel leaf, banana, chili, sugarcane and other crops on more than 1.72 lakh hectares. Farmers incurred losses worth Tk 290 crore the highest due to their damaged vegetables, says DAE’s report. Farmers incurred losses worth Tk 260 crore on damaged jute, Tk 253 crore on damages aus rice, Tk 155 crore on broadcast aman, Tk 126 crore on aman seedbeds, Tk 31 crore worth chili crop and transplanted aman worth Tk 26 crore. The worst flood affected districts were Sunamganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Hobiganj, Noakhali, Feni, Rangamati, Bandarban, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Bogura, Sirajganj, Brahmanbaria, Rajshahi, Natore, Faridpur, Madaripur, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Pabna, Dinajpur, Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Sherpur, Netrokona, Naogaon, Tangail and Manikganj. Agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque said that the government would make efforts to so that the rice growers got fair prices for their produces at the next season. While addressing an inter-ministry meeting at the conference room of the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council on Tuesday, he announced that the government would reduce fertilizer prices and increase farmers benefits if needed. Razzaque said the government would provide different agricultural equipment to farmers to reduce the cost of rice production. The floods have caused losses worth about Tk 336 crore to fish farmers in five affected divisions, according to the Department of Fisheries. DoF officials told New Age that the losses would increase when the receding flood waters would inundate the central and southern regions of the country. The floods have badly damaged the banks of at least 34,534 ponds, dighis and 7,887.65 hectares of fish farms, they said, adding that an estimated 17,287.69 tonnes of fish and 31.96 crore fish fries were washed away, they said. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre Wednesday said that the country’s major rivers continued to recede except for the Ganges. The Ganges might not swell after Thursday morning, predicted the FFWC. Four rivers were flowing above their danger levels in four districts on Wednesday morning, said the FFWC. The FFWC recorded country’s highest rainfall of 135 mm in 24 hours until Wednesday morning. It rained 148 mm during the same period in Cherapunji in India, said the FFWC. Heavy rains in the upstream and inside Bangladesh triggered the floods since early July that gradually engulfed three fourths of the country wreaking havoc in 28 districts. The Met Office predicted rains across Chattogram and Barishal divisions in 24 hours until 9 AM Thursday. Rains were also predicted for places in rest of the country during the same period. The Met Office recorded country’s highest rainfall of 86 mm at Feni in 24 hours until Wednesday morning. The Indian Met Office predicted widespread to fairly widespread rainfalls in Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Sikkim until Sunday. The disaster management and relief ministry said that nine districts were still under flood waters in northern and central Bangladesh. Heavy erosions caused by receding flood waters made countless villagers homeless. The river Meghna devoured large areas in Chadpur sadar and Hamchar upazilas rendering at least 150 families homeless by Tuesday, said the DMR Ministry. The erosion in Chandpur devoured over 800 square meter of villages by Tuesday.
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