1,500 Bighas of Paddy Submerged in Phulbari; Farmers Face Double Costs and Half Prices

Persistent heavy rainfall has submerged approximately 1,500 bighas of ripe Iri-Boro paddy across 10 villages in Phulbari Upazila. Farmers are now trapped in a financial crisis, forced to pay double the normal harvesting rates for waterlogged crops that are selling for half their usual market value.

A field visit on Friday (May 8) to Daulatpur and Khairbari unions revealed vast stretches of cropland under waist-deep water. In villages like Mahdipur and Baraipara, farmers are struggling to find laborers willing to work in the submerged fields.

"Laborers are demanding 7,000 to 8,000 BDT per bigha to harvest in water, nearly double the usual 4,000 BDT," said Mizanur Rahman, a local farmer. To make matters worse, traders are offering only 600 BDT per maund for the wet, damaged paddy, while high-quality dry paddy fetches up to 1,300 BDT.

Locals point to a 5.5 million BDT drainage canal, constructed in 2020 under a JICA-funded project as a primary cause of the waterlogging.

Farmers allege the canal was built at an elevation higher than the surrounding fields, rendering it useless for drainage. Additionally, unplanned pond digging and illegal dams have further obstructed water flow.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Saif Abdullah Mostafin acknowledged the crisis, noting that combine harvesters cannot operate in deep water.

Meanwhile, Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Ahmed Hasan admitted there were "technical flaws" in the canal’s construction. While an immediate fix is not feasible, he stated that long-term projects are being planned to address the drainage failures and that an inspection with engineers is imminent.