Waterlogging Devastates Haor Farmers

Paddy fields across the Cauadighi Haor in Moulvibazar remain submerged, leaving marginal farmers, sharecroppers and lease-based cultivators facing severe losses during the harvesting season. Standing crops are underwater, and the limited quantity of paddy being recovered is increasingly difficult to save due to continuous rainfall, rotting, and early germination in submerged bundles.

Farmers report that even the harvested paddy is deteriorating rapidly. In many cases, the crop is emitting a foul odour due to decomposition, while buyers are either refusing to purchase it or offering prices far below production costs. This has created a situation where recovery of harvest is economically unviable.

On Sunday afternoon in Birimabad village under Akhailkura Union of Moulvibazar Sadar upazila, farmers were observed urgently attempting to salvage what remains of their crops. Some were cutting partially matured paddy and transporting it to higher ground, others were using boats to move harvested bundles, while many were threshing wet paddy. In several locations, stacked bundles had already begun to rot or were being submerged again as water levels rose. A shortage of boats has left a significant portion of harvested crops still floating or submerged.

Farmers stated that transport and labour costs have surged. Moving 40 to 50 bundles of paddy requires boat rent of BDT 400 to 500 and labour costs ranging from BDT 800 to 1,000. In many cases, the total cost of recovery exceeds the value of the paddy itself.

Several individual cases highlight the extent of losses:

• Gopal Nunia leased five “kair” of land and managed to harvest only four decimal from submerged fields, producing two to three maunds of paddy after processing. His recovery cost reached around BDT 8,000, while cultivation expenses exceeded BDT 10,000 per kair.
• Jalil Mia, who leased five kair of land, managed to harvest only half a kair due to lack of boats and rising water levels.
• Abdul Kadir cultivated 10 kair of land; six kair remain submerged. His total cost stood at BDT 24,000, while sales amounted to BDT 23,000, resulting in a net loss.
• Alal Mia reported that 20 kair of land were flooded, with only four kair harvested, much of which was already in poor condition.
• Shafik Mia stated that all paddy fields are underwater, leaving no food stock for subsistence.

Summary of reported farm losses

Farmers described widespread crop failure, with many fields fully submerged and remaining harvests deteriorating due to prolonged waterlogging.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension in Moulvibazar, 2,349 hectares of paddy land have been inundated in the district. Officials stated that although drainage efforts are ongoing in the Cauadighi Haor, continuous heavy rainfall is preventing effective water recession.

Meanwhile, the Haor Protection Movement in Moulvibazar submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner, urging immediate intervention to protect farmers’ livelihoods and address the ongoing crisis in the haor region.