Boro Crops Submerged as Flood Fears Grip Haor Areas

Thousands of hectares of boro paddy have gone underwater in Bangladesh’s haor regions due to heavy rainfall and upstream inflows, leaving farmers struggling to save what remains of their crops.

The situation has worsened following breaches in crop protection embankments and prolonged waterlogging, pushing many farmers toward severe financial losses. In several areas, growers are rushing to harvest semi-ripe paddy amid fears of further flooding, though most say recovery prospects are slim.

Kishoreganj’s haor belt is among the worst affected, where large stretches of standing and nearly harvested crops have already been submerged. Some farmers have attempted to salvage partially flooded paddy, but much of it is at risk of damage.

Authorities have warned of possible flooding in five districts due to continued heavy to very heavy rainfall. According to the Water Development Board, flooding has already begun in Moulvibazar and Netrokona, while Sunamganj, Sylhet and Habiganj remain at high risk as river water levels continue to rise, with some crossing danger marks.

In Sunamganj, incessant rainfall over the past few days, coupled with upstream water, has caused extensive damage to boro fields across at least 25 haors. Local officials say that nearly half of the crop in these areas remains unharvested due to adverse weather conditions.

Residents said recent downpours have not only submerged crop fields but also damaged harvested paddy, which is now spoiling due to a lack of sunlight for drying.

With water levels still rising and harvesting disrupted, farmers fear further losses in the coming days if conditions do not improve quickly.