Rising river levels prompt warning as farmers told to cut Boro paddy early

Authorities say water levels in Surma, Kushiyara and Baulai rivers in Sunamganj and upstream areas are rising

The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has advised farmers in the haor region to harvest Boro paddy once it is about 80 percent ripe amid fears of floods and waterlogging.

The advisory was issued on Tuesday afternoon by the BWDB’s Sunamganj office, as harvesting has already begun in some scattered areas of the haor belt.

It has been raining for several days in different districts and Upazilas of the haor region, affecting crop protection dams and causing waterlogging in some places.

Many farmers have already been harvesting Boro paddy since Pahela Baishakh, marked on Apr 14. However, most of the staple crop has not yet fully ripened.

Farmers are hopeful that the local paddy harvesting festival called “Dawamari” will start in full swing in the haors from the second week of Baishakh, the first month of the Bengali calendar.

Citing its previous forecast and the Met Office, the advisory said rainfall has increased in the northeastern region of the country, especially in the upstream areas of rivers including Surma, Kushiyara and Baulai in Sunamganj.

“Due to this, the water level in the rivers is increasing and it may continue in the next few days,” it reads.

In this situation, an early flood situation may arise at any time, the advisory says, adding that waterlogging may also occur in the low-lying areas of the haor.

BWDB Executive Engineer Mamun Hawlader, who issued the advisory, said they requested farmers to harvest in advance to help reduce potential losses.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agricultural Extension says Boro paddy on 21,496 hectares of haor land has been harvested until Tuesday, describing the crop across the haor region as “ready for yield”.

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Haor rivers rise but remain below danger level, no immediate flood risk