Farmers hit by Cyclone Bulbul face uncertain future

The Department of Agricultural Extension in Khulna has made a list of farmers affected by Cyclone Bulbul, but it is unclear whether they will get any help.

Khulna CorrespondentShuvro Sachinbdnews24.com
Published : 16 Nov 2019, 05:15 PM
Updated : 16 Nov 2019, 05:15 PM

The DAE has already sent the list to the agriculture ministry.

"But we are yet to know if any help is coming," Pankaj Kanti Majumder, deputy director of DAE in Khulna, told bdnews24.com on Saturday.

The government started handing out seeds and fertiliser worth Tk 3.9 million among about 3,000 farmers in the district as incentives for the cultivation of sunflower, lentil, sesame and other crops well before the storm lashed the coastal districts on Nov 9, Majumder said.
Paddy was the worst affected crop in Dakop, Koyra, Paikgachha, Dumuria and Batiaghata, said the DAE official.

About 26,000 hectares of paddy field along with hundreds of hectares of vegetable, banana, papaya and betel leaf have been damaged by the cyclone.

Almost all fields of mustard in the district have been damaged, according to Majumder.

The affected farmers said they were staring at bad times ahead. 

Shyamsundar Mondol of Ramnagar village in Dakop said he cultivated paddy and the crops were nearly ready for harvesting.

“Cyclone Bulbul has destroyed everything. Now it will be very difficult for me to run my family.”