Flood water in Aman field in Chalonbil. Farmers are worried

Dhaka Times Desk Farmers are on the verge of losing their souls in joy as the prospect of a large crop of woven Aman rice has suddenly entered 9 upazilas of Chalanbil.

It is known that the farmers of Chalanbil have sown Aman paddy in the hope of a bumper crop due to less monsoon. After nurturing the farmers for so long, the paddy is now nearing the time when the farmers will lose themselves in joy. But the happy days of the farmers are about to disappear suddenly. Because untimely flood water has overtaken these rice plants. In 9 upazilas of Chalanbil, fields after fields are showing green waves due to flood water entering the cultivated Aman paddy fields. The untimely reoccurrence of floods and the continued rise in water instilled hope in the minds of the farmers, but now they are worried about crop damage.

According to Upazila Agriculture Office sources, 50,000 hectares of land have been cultivated in 9 upazilas of Chalanbil, famous for the country's largest Aman paddy. In Tarash, Singra and Chatmohar upazilas, woven Aman paddy has been planted on more land and the cultivated land is 33 thousand hectares. Faridpur and Bhangura upazilas in the south have cultivated 9,500 hectares. 7 and a half thousand hectares in Gurdaspur and Atrai upazilas and 4 thousand hectares in Ullapara and Shahjadpur upazilas.

It is known that only 10 to 12 varieties of rice are still cultivated by the farmers of Chalanbil. And these are the Chotana Dhan in the language of Bill people. Chotana paddy also grows in competition with the flood water. Farmers cut Boro paddy in medium low-lying fields and plant these Chotana Aman paddies which are totally dependent on flood. Flood water enters 50% of cultivated land of Bona Aman rice and recedes again. In the second phase, in the month of August, the flood water increased again and water entered 70 percent of the cultivated land. But the water does not stand still and the paddy field dries up. Farmers in Bill are worried about crop loss as the crop fades due to floods and no rain. After spending like this for about 1 month, the flood water in Chalanbil suddenly started increasing from last September 16.

In the years with more monsoons, hundreds of bighas of land are covered with water and water only. This scene can be seen in the rainy season. But after the end of the monsoon, if there is less monsoon, the farmers sow Aman seeds. And if the flood is relatively less, then the bumper aman paddy crop is brought home by the farmers.

Within 8 days of writing this report, the flood water has reached the second stage of flooding and the condition of sown Aman paddy has changed. Farmers have expressed fear that these paddy fields will be drowned or uprooted if the flood water rises at an untimely time.