Concerns over possible sudden flooding have prompted farmers in the haor region of Sunamganj to accelerate the harvesting of Boro paddy. The anxiety stems from forecasts of heavy rainfall in the coming days, which could raise river levels and inundate low-lying croplands.
Despite predictions of light to moderate rain over the past two days, no significant rainfall occurred, allowing farmers to continue field operations without interruption. On Saturday morning, the weather remained clear with sunshine across the district.
According to the Sunamganj Water Development Board (WDB), there is a growing risk of flooding from 28 April onwards due to expected heavy rainfall. Executive Engineer Md. Mamun Hossain stated that rainfall in upstream areas may cause river levels to rise and, in some places, exceed danger levels, potentially leading to water entering haor basins.
Agricultural situation in Sunamganj haors
| Indicator |
Figure |
| Total cultivated Boro area |
223,511 hectares |
| Number of haors |
137 |
| Production target |
Around 1.4 million tonnes |
| Harvest completed (as of Friday) |
53,640 hectares |
| Remaining unharvested area |
169,471 hectares |
| Area ready for harvest |
16,986 hectares |
| Available combine harvesters |
602 units |
Agriculture officials report that around half of the paddy in the haor region is still unripe. Farmers say that lower rainfall earlier in the season delayed ripening, while waterlogging in several areas is hindering the use of combine harvesters. Labour shortages are also contributing to delays.
Officials further estimate that nearly 100,000 hectares of paddy may become ready for harvesting within the next two days. However, harvesting capacity remains under pressure due to difficult field conditions.
Farmers in the region have expressed concern over the situation. Ali Akbar (52), a farmer from the Bawun Haor area of Sunamganj Sadar, said he is uncertain about future conditions. He noted that paddy in low-lying areas has already been damaged by waterlogging, while harvesting continues on higher ground, although much of the crop is still not fully ripe.
Another farmer, Nur Hossain (38), said, “It has not rained for two days, which is good for us. But now they are saying there may be floods. It feels like trouble keeps following us.”
The Department of Agricultural Extension has urged farmers not to delay harvesting in anticipation of machinery availability. Deputy Director Mohammad Omar Faruq advised that paddy should be harvested once it reaches about 80 per cent maturity. He stressed that waiting for combine harvesters is no longer advisable under current weather risks. Farmers have been encouraged to use labour where necessary to complete harvesting, threshing, and drying without delay.
He also warned against storing harvested paddy in open fields, describing it as risky due to the possibility of sudden flooding. The harvested grain should be dried quickly and stored in safe locations.
The Water Development Board has issued an urgent warning citing forecasts of heavy rainfall from 27–30 April. It stated that rainfall in upstream regions, particularly in India’s Cherrapunji area, could significantly increase water flow into rivers such as the Surma, Kushiyara, Dhanu, Baulai, and Kangsa, with water levels potentially crossing danger thresholds from 28 April.
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