Maximum portion of haor paddy to be reaped within week

A majority of paddy grown in haor areas will be harvested within a week without fear of any loss, according to different government agencies.

There are rain clouds in the sky of haor and Sylhet areas but they are unlikely to cause as much pouring rain as can lead to embankment collapse and submerge crops, said Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), a majority of paddy should be brought home if there are not heavy showers to inundate paddy fields.

“Rain would continue next two to three days both in Bangladesh’s north eastern part of Sylhet and in the Indian state of Meghalaya and Assam,” said Meteorologist Abdul Mannan.

It will rain every day, but in a scattered way. It won’t be so much that can submerge crop land overnight. Besides, the water level of a majority of rivers will continue to rise in next two to three days, he made the forecast.

“It seems that haor is safe for the next 5 to 7 days. But all the departments concerned have been asked to stay alert and prepared,” advised Mannan.

According to the DAE, there are 4.5 lakh hectares of land for Boro farming in haor areas under the seven districts that have a total of 9.50 lakh hectares of land, of which 70 per cent paddy have already become matured to be harvested.

It said within April 22, 80 per cent paddy will be collected from haor areas. There is around five million Boro land across the country.

“Within April 17, the entire paddy will be ripe for harvest. If we get time till April 22, harvesting of 80 per cent paddy will be completed while 50 per cent alone within this week,” DAE Director General Md Benajir Alam told The Business Post.

“We have asked farmers to pick up crops from low-lying areas first.

If any areas run the risk of getting submerged, more manpower could be used to save the produce,” he suggested.

What can happen after a week?

“There is a prediction of rain in the following weeks, but such an early forecast may not go with the real situation. That is why it cannot be predicted accurately,” according to Meteorologist Abdul Mannan.

“But there is a rain for sure next week,” he said.

Around 6,827-hectare Boro land submerged in seven districts

Excessive rainfall, steep waterfall and early rise in water level in Jamuna River inundated 6,827 hectares of Boro paddy field in seven districts across the country till April 10.

According to the DAE, most Boro land went under water in Sunamganj district. Excessive rainfall and water from upstream submerged 5,010 hectares of land out of total 2,22,805 hectares of Boro field in the district.

In Sylhet, 1,120-hectare land went under water which is 0.92 per cent of the district’s total Boro land. Sylhet also received hit from both excessive rainfall and steep waterfall.

Water entered into Tanguar haor due to embankment collapse at Tahirpur upazila on April 3 which damaged crops.

Sources said water flowed from Meghalaya hills in the wake of heavy rain and reached Tanguar haor damaging Nazarkhali embankment.

Among other affected districts, 379 hectares of Boro crop land in Kishoreganj, 159 hectares in Sirajganj, 133 hectares in Netrokona, 18 hectares in Lalmonirhat and 8 hectares in Brahmanbaria have been submerged by the rising water.

As per the Water Development Board, there is hardly any chance for the dam to collapse and they are observing the situation closely.

But if there is a heavy shower and water overflows the dam, then crop land in haor areas will be flooded. A moderate rain cannot lead to dam collapse, it said.