Charfassion (Bhola) Correspondent:
Continuous heavy rains due to the influence of seasonal low pressure and active monsoon winds have disrupted public life in 21 unions of Charfassion Upazila of Bhola. Continuous rains have caused waterlogging in low-lying areas.
Seedbeds of Aman, fields of various seasonal vegetables and hundreds of fish farms have been submerged. Many unpaved roads built in the last fiscal year have been damaged by the heavy rains. Normal communication is being disrupted as roads have gone underwater in some places.
Extensive damage to roads and ghats has been reported in various areas of the upazila, including the isolated island unions of Kukurimukri, Mujibnagar, Char Manika, Hazariganj and Jahanpur. The movement of students, working people and patients has been extremely difficult due to the muddy unpaved roads. Low-income families are also suffering as water accumulates in their courtyards.
Housewife Rasheda Begum, who is stuck in water, said, “The water is knee-deep inside the house. I am in great trouble with my small children. I cannot stay in my own house, I have had to take shelter in someone else’s house. I cannot even cook. I want immediate government assistance.”
Farmers said that due to the excessive rain, the production of amaranth seedbeds and vegetable fields has been submerged, which has created uncertainty. If the water remains for a long time, the damage may increase further.
Farmer Harun Or Rashid of Char Manika Union said, “My amaranth seedbeds and various vegetable fields including cucumber, bitter gourd, and green chillies have been submerged. If the rain continues, there will be huge losses. Government assistance is needed for the affected farmers.”
On the other hand, the continuous rains caused the dam of the fish enclosure to overflow, and fish worth lakhs of taka went into the rivers and canals in an instant. Many fish farmers who have taken loans from banks and NGOs have been in extreme financial crisis.
Local fish farmer Md. Yasin Munshi said, “I have not seen such rain in the last 30 years. Within a few hours, all the fish in my enclosure were washed away. There has been a loss of several lakhs of taka.”
Another fish farmer Md. Nur Uddin Faraji said, “Now the nets of our ponds are being washed away by fishermen in the river. This is very difficult for us. The hard work of the whole year has ended in one rain.”
Mohammad Forkan, a fish farmer of Char Madraz Union, said, “I have been cultivating fish for seven years. But this time I have faced the biggest loss. Three of my farms were submerged in water and fish worth about 8 to 9 lakh taka have been washed away. If we get government assistance, we will try to turn around again.”
Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Jayanta Kumar Apu said that initially 2,360 fish farmers have been affected by the Char Fashion. 3,671 small and big fish farms in the upazila, covering a total area of about 218 hectares, have been submerged in water. About 272 metric tons of fish and fry have been washed away. The initial estimate of the damage is about 54 million taka. The work of collecting detailed information on the damage and updating it is ongoing.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Krishibid Nazmul Huda said that initially about 1,210 hectares of vegetable land and 170 hectares of Aman seedbeds have been damaged due to waterlogging. The affected crops include cucumber, bitter gourd, sweet pumpkin, gourd, green pepper, barbati and various seasonal vegetables. If the water recedes quickly, there is a possibility of recovery of most of the crops. However, if the rain continues, the extent of the damage may increase further. Officials of the Agriculture Department are monitoring the situation at the field level and are providing necessary advice and technical assistance to the affected farmers.
Upazila Executive Officer Rumana Afroz said that the upazila administration is monitoring the situation round the clock. The water is gradually receding in the areas where water was accumulated. The concerned department has been instructed to assess the damage to farmers and fishermen. If people are affected by waterlogging or natural disasters anywhere, the necessary government assistance will be ensured quickly.
Meanwhile, if the weather does not turn favorable and heavy rains continue, the concerned people fear that the damage to the agriculture and fisheries sectors of Charfassion may increase further. Local residents have demanded quick drainage of water, repair of damaged roads and urgent government assistance for the affected farmers and fishermen.
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