Floods damage nearly a fifth of croplands

More than 3.37 lakh hectares of cropland have been affected in Bangladesh due to flash floods induced by heavy rains and the rush of water from upstream, the agriculture ministry said in a report yesterday. 

These lands are used to cultivate various types of paddy, ginger, sugarcane, betel leaf, vegetables and fruit and this year 16.46 lakh hectares of cropland is being cultivated.

Analysing the ministry's data, it has been found that the ongoing floods have affected Aman and Aush croplands the most. It also affected seedbeds and vegetable and fruit cultivation.

This estimate is of the period from August 16 to August 24 and most of the affected cropland or 1.82 lakh hectares lies in Chattogram region, followed by Cumilla and Sylhet.

The other affected croplands lie in Mymensingh, Rangamati, Khulna, Dhaka and Bogura regions.

As many as 50 lakh people were affected and 18 people died in 11 districts, according to a disaster management document.

More than 300,000 people were taking refuge in emergency shelters as of last Friday, said disaster management officials.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture has taken many decisions regarding the damage assessment of the recent floods and steps that need to be taken afterwards.

This includes strengthening ongoing agricultural incentives and rehabilitation programmes and ensuring adequate resources and supply of Aman paddy seeds of suitable varieties.

The construction of emergency seedbeds and early production of winter vegetables should be started at places that are relatively at a higher elevation, alongside shifting of fertilisers to safe places, it said.

The field officials will send a proposal to the ministry after determining the damage and provide cooperation accordingly, said Mohammad Zakir Hossain, senior information officer of the ministry of agriculture.