PIRGANJ, Rangpur — Sudden rain and rising upstream water have submerged boro paddy across large parts of Pirganj upazila in Rangpur district, leaving farmers facing heavy losses, residents said.
Several thousand bighas of paddy have gone under water in the Barudaha area of Madankhali and Kumedpur unions, farmers said.
Visits to the area showed that with water rising steadily for several days, farmers were struggling to cut and store ripe and half-ripe paddy. Many were harvesting unripe paddy to salvage what they could.
“The water keeps rising every day. We are forced to cut unripe paddy, otherwise everything will go under,” said Abul Khair, a farmer from Boger Bari village.
“If the water keeps rising like this, the losses will be huge. We are at a loss,” said Tajul Islam of Khoyer Bari village.
“The sluice gates at Pirganj are shut, so the water cannot drain. Our paddy is completely submerged. We demand the gates be opened immediately,” said Atiyar Rahman, also from Khoyer Bari village.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Sumon Ahmed said waterlogging had developed in some areas because of upstream flow and rain. The situation was being monitored and damage was being assessed, he said, and necessary steps would be taken in coordination with the relevant authorities.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report