The agricultural landscape of Kishoreganj has turned into a scene of despair as persistent rainfall and flash floods have devastated the Boro paddy harvest. Farmers in the region, unable to dry their hard-earned crop, are now forced to dump rotting, germinated grain into the rising waters of the Haors.Seeds of Sorrow: Harvests Rotting in the RainIn the Manikpur Haor of Karimganj upazila, farmer Zahirul Islam threshed 350 maunds of paddy a week ago. He stacked the grain on a high embankment (khola) to dry. However, seven consecutive days of heavy rain prevented any drying. By Friday, the damp piles began to sprout seedlings and emit a foul stench of decay."The smell of rotting paddy is unbearable. I had no choice but to cast it into the water," Zahirul lamented on Saturday afternoon.A fellow farmer, Tamiz Uddin, shared a similar fate. He had 70 sacks of paddy ready, but they rotted before they could be dried. He was seen floating the sacks away in the Haor water to clear the site.Massive Losses Across the DistrictAccording to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the crisis is widespread:Submerged Land: Approximately 9,045 hectares of Boro paddy fields are underwater.Affected Farmers: Over 30,000 farmers are facing severe financial ruin.Labor Crisis: Daily wages for laborers have spiked to 1,200–1,300 BDT, making it impossible for many to harvest their remaining crops.In a desperate move known locally as "Nayan Bhaga," some farmers have opened their fields to the public, allowing anyone to harvest as much as they want for free, simply because they cannot afford the high costs of manual labor or harvesters.Voices from the FieldKala Mia (Nikli): He managed to harvest paddy from six kanis of land last Sunday, but without a threshing machine and subsequent sunshine, the grain turned black and spoiled. "I couldn't save it even after cutting it," he said.Kamal Hossain (Mithamain): With five acres submerged, he gave up on his crop. "The ripe grain is sinking before my eyes. I’ve announced that anyone who wishes can take the paddy for themselves."Rising Water LevelsThe Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) reports that while rivers remain below the danger mark, water levels are rising steadily.River/LocationWater Level Increase (Past 24 hrs)Dhanu-Boulai (Itna)5 – 15 cmMogra (Karimganj)5 – 15 cmKalni (Austagram)5 – 15 cmMeghna (Bhairab)5 – 15 cmMohammad Sadikur Rahman, Deputy Director of the District Agricultural Extension Department, confirmed that heavy rains since Saturday morning have worsened the situation. He noted that field reports as of 5:00 PM on Saturday show thousands of hectares are currently submerged, leaving the farming community in a state of deep uncertainty.
