Heavy rain, flash floods submerge paddy fields in Sunamganj, 2 embankments collapse

Sunamganj has recorded the highest rainfall of the season in the past 24 hours as 137 millimeters of rain fell from 9:00 am Monday to 9:00 am Tuesday.

At the same time, flash floods from upstream hills have surged into the region. As a result, water levels in haors and rivers have risen, submerging paddy fields before farmers’ eyes.

Meanwhile, under pressure from the rising water, two embankments in two upazilas have collapsed, causing crop losses.

Agricultural officials say that about 44 per cent of haor paddy has been harvested so far in Sunamganj. However, half of the Boro crop remains unharvested, leaving the situation heavily dependent on weather conditions.

Farmers in the haor areas have been left disoriented by the excessive rainfall and floodwaters. Adverse weather, rising water pressure in haors, fear of lightning, and a shortage of harvesting labourers have deepened the crisis.

Heavy rain since Monday night and Tuesday morning has submerged paddy in many haor fields. Additionally, rising water levels have damaged harvested paddy kept in drying yards.

Flood-control embankments in the haor region are also at high risk. This morning, an embankment at Ikrachai Haor in Chandalipara village under Banshikunda South union of Madhyanagar upazila collapsed, submerging crops. The Gujauni embankment in Dekhar Haor has also been washed away by strong currents. Neither embankment was under the Bangladesh Water Development Board; they had been repaired by local residents.

Meanwhile, by noon, water was overtopping the Hariman embankment in Korchar Haor of Bishwambharpur upazila.

Officials from the Water Development Board had been stationed there since morning. The work on this embankment was supposed to be completed last year but was not.

According to Water Development Board sources, the water level of the Surma River in Sunamganj has risen by 35 centimeters in the past 24 hours. There is a forecast of very heavy rainfall over the next two days. At the same time, heavy rainfall is also expected in Cherrapunji in India, upstream of Sunamganj, which may trigger further flash floods. The next two days are therefore critical for the haor region, after which conditions may improve.

According to the district Department of Agricultural Extension, Boro cultivation has been carried out on 223,511 hectares across 137 haors in the district this season, with a production target of nearly 1.4 million metric tons of rice. So far, paddy has been harvested from 99,483 hectares.

Farmers now rely heavily on harvesting machines, but operations are being hindered in many areas due to waterlogged fields. Rain remains another major obstacle.

Deputy Director of the district agricultural extension department, agronomist Mohammad Omar Faruk, said that despite the crisis, farmers are still in the fields trying to harvest their crops. Officials are also attempting to provide necessary advice and support, but everything now depends on the weather.

Sarada Charan Das (60), a farmer from Dasnoyagaon village near Naluar Haor in Jagannathpur upazila, said he had left ripe paddy in his fields the previous day. Overnight rain ruined everything, and by morning he found all his crops submerged. Out of 16 bighas of land, he was able to harvest only four.

Kudrat Pasha from Kaima village in Dirai upazila said many farmers had stored paddy in drying yards in their area, only to find in the morning that everything had gone underwater. Farmers from Ahsanpur in Jamalganj reported similar losses. Crops have also been damaged in Hailir Haor (Jamalganj), Dekhar Haor (Sadar upazila), Pagnar Haor (Dirai), Chayar Haor (Shalla), Khai Haor and Pakhimara Haor (Shantiganj), and Korchar Haor (Bishwambharpur) due to rain and floodwaters.

Farmers said many haors had already been waterlogged due to continuous rainfall, causing earlier damage. Now, with heavy rain continuing, there are no proper conditions for harvesting, threshing, or drying paddy. On top of that, there is a shortage of labourers. Despite the risks of floods, heavy rain, and lightning, farmers are going to the haors out of attachment to their crops, but unfavourable weather is limiting their efforts.

Obaidul Haque, general secretary of the Sunamganj Haor and River Protection Movement, said the situation is dire. Farmers are watching their crops drown before their eyes, many in tears. Many cannot even hire labourers on a sharecropping basis. The helplessness of haor farmers, he said, is beyond words, and in reality, no one is standing by them.

With heavy rainfall and upstream floodwaters, water levels in Sunamganj’s haors and rivers continue to rise, putting embankments at risk. At any moment, vulnerable embankments could collapse and cause further crop losses. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Minhazur Rahman has instructed all Project Implementation Committee (PIC) members to ensure round-the-clock monitoring of embankments.

This year, the Bangladesh Water Development Board implemented 710 projects to construct and repair 602 kilometers of embankments in Sunamganj, with an estimated cost of Tk 1.45 billion, aimed at protecting haor crops.

Executive Engineer Mamun Hawlader said these earthen embankments have already weakened due to continuous rain. If large volumes of upstream floodwater arrive, many embankments may not withstand the pressure, so authorities are closely monitoring all of them.