Farmers in Bangladesh’s north-eastern haor region have been urged to quickly harvest their Boro paddy as forecasts warn of imminent flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall, reports BSS.
Officials from Department of Agricultural Extension said farmers have been advised to harvest paddy that is at least 80 percent ripe to minimise potential losses.
Dr Mosharraf Hossain, Additional Director of Sylhet regional office, said coordinated efforts are underway with local administrations and water authorities to accelerate harvesting across the region.
According to him, Boro cultivation spans about 277,000 hectares in the Sylhet haor areas, with harvesting completed on roughly 155,000 hectares so far.
Local authorities have intensified efforts on the ground. Muhammad Minhazur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Sunamganj, said between 50 and 60 percent of crops have already been harvested in some haors, adding that a large-scale campaign is ongoing to complete the remaining work fast.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Water Development Board has warned of rising water levels due to expected heavy to very heavy rainfall in Sylhet and upstream areas such as Cherrapunji over the next several days.
Partho Protim Barua from Flood Forecasting and Warning Center under BWDB said flash floods could begin from April 28, with continuous rainfall likely to worsen the situation. He cautioned that once floodwaters enter the haor basins, they tend to persist due to ongoing precipitation.
Authorities have already issued alerts to farmers through local administrations to ensure timely harvesting. Officials say early harvesting can significantly reduce economic losses, as flash floods often submerge vast areas of cropland within a short time.
The haor region; spanning districts such as Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Netrakona, Kishoreganj, and Brahmanbaria, is a vast wetland ecosystem crucial for Boro rice production and fisheries.
These bowl-shaped lowlands are highly vulnerable to sudden flooding, particularly during April�"May when heavy rains from upstream regions in India trigger rapid water surges.
Experts warn that without swift harvesting, flash floods could again devastate crops and livelihoods in the region, as seen in previous years.
SH
