It is unacceptable that those who help sustain the country’s food supply remain exposed to predictable risks year after year. Reportedly, thousands of farmers in the haor districts are facing heavy crop losses because of pre-monsoon rain, embankment breaches, labour shortages, and poor harvesting conditions. For farmers in these regions, Boro cultivation is often their only major yearly harvest and main source of income. When their ripe paddy goes under water just before harvest, they lose a whole year’s livelihood, not to mention their ability to repay debts. Why are our farmers still so vulnerable to predictable seasonal threats despite repeated warnings?
For nearly a decade, our northeastern region has suffered excessive pre-monsoon rainfall and early flash floods, with the disasters of 2017 and 2022 still fresh in public memory. Weak embankments, delayed repairs, poor preparedness, labour shortages, inadequate drying and storage facilities, and limited financial protection continue to leave farmers vulnerable. The haor region produces around 20 percent of the country’s rice annually, while Boro accounts for nearly 55 percent of national rice output, meaning current losses pose a serious threat to our food security.
About 65-70 percent of all Boro paddy in the haor districts has been harvested; now farmers are under pressure to finish the rest. Many farmers report that ripe paddy in their fields remains submerged, while harvesters cannot operate in waterlogged fields and labour is either scarce or costly. Some have even been forced to sell wet paddy at low prices, while others have lost everything after farming on loans. For instance, Ratan Mia from Kishoreganj’s Austagram upazila lost his entire 10-acre crop to flooding.
Meanwhile, fresh embankment breaches in Sunamganj have raised serious concerns over alleged corruption and irregularities in embankment construction. Every year, large allocations are made for haor protection embankments, but allegations of substandard earthwork, mismanagement of funds, and syndicate influence persist. Locals claim that embankments are often poorly planned or left incomplete, while oversight remains weak. At a recent gathering in Sunamganj, a 10-point demand was raised that included compensation for flood-hit farmers, loan waivers, and a judicial probe into irregularities. The government must address these sincerely.
It is reassuring that the government has promised assistance for farmers affected by heavy rainfall in the next three months. Their other demands must also be taken into consideration. It must act immediately to protect both crops and farmers’ livelihoods. As water levels rise, urgent mobilisation of labour and harvesting support is needed to save the remaining crops. Mobile drying units and transport assistance should also be provided. Fair procurement prices for wet or damaged paddy must be ensured to prevent exploitation by middlemen. An independent review of embankment failures and delays is crucial as well. In the long term, climate-resilient infrastructure, crop insurance, and early warning systems must be prioritised. Haor farmers must not be left to face such disasters without support.
