Feni floods incur loss of Tk 146cr
National Desk :
The recent flooding in Feni district has left thousands of residents reeling from devastating losses across agriculture, fisheries, and livestock sectors, with the overall damage estimated at Tk 146.43 crore, according to official sources.
Triggered by incessant rainfall and a surge of water from upstream regions, the flood submerged vast stretches of low-lying areas in Feni Sadar, Chhagalnaiya, Daganbhuiyan, Fulgazi and Parshuram upazilas, severely affecting daily life and livelihoods, they said.
According to a preliminary report from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), 5,564.61 hectares of cropland have been damaged.
This includes 845 hectares of Aush paddy, 537 hectares of summer vegetables, 14 hectares of chilli, seven hectares of ginger, 2.5 hectares of turmeric, 0.11 hectares of tomato, 689 hectares of Aman seedbeds, and 3,470 hectares of stored ginger.
The loss has impacted an estimated 28,835 farmers, with damages amounting to Tk 38.07 crore, reports UNB.
Kamruzzaman Chowdhury from Darbarpur Union in Fulgazi upazila said, “My entire summer Aman seedbed on three bighas of land was ruined. Every year floods ruin our crops and plunge our families into a financial crisis.”
Mustafizur Rahman of Dhanikunda in Parshuram upazila said, “Five bighas of vegetable lands have been submerged and damaged during the flood. Within a year, we have faced massive losses once again. If this continues, we will have to starve.”
Mohammad Atik Ullah, Deputy Director of DAE, said, “There is still a lot of water in many areas. We can assess the true loss only once the water recedes. We’re working on initial calculations and will recommend compensation for affected farmers.”
The fisheries sector reported a total loss of Tk 8.71 crore.
According to the District Fisheries Office, 276.20 metric tonnes of fish worth Tk 5.90 crore were washed away from 2,330 ponds, water bodies, and farms.
Besides, 128 metric tonnes of fish fry worth Tk 3.50 lakh were destroyed, while infrastructural damages amounted to Tk 42.50 lakh. Md Alamgir, a fish farmer from Munshirhat Union, said he lost fish from three ponds totalling three bighas, resulting in a loss of Tk 2.5 lakh. “We don’t know how to recover,” he added.
Abdur Rahman from Paschim Alka village in Parshuram upazila shared a similar plight. “I lost my net-enclosed pond, with all the fish swept away. Officials did not assist us properly last year either, so it’ll be impossible to recover without help.”
District Fisheries Officer Aminul Islam said final reports are being prepared and a list will be sent to the government for compensation.
Floodwaters claimed the lives of 10,600 poultry birds-1,400 in Fulgazi, 7,200 in Parshuram, and 2,000 in Chhagalnaiya. Besides, 235 ducks, three goats, one sheep and four cows were lost, according to the District Livestock Office.
Animal feed and fodder were also destroyed: seven tonnes of animal feed worth Tk 2.58 lakh, 30 metric tonnes of husk worth Tk 1.70 lakh, and 160 metric tonnes of grass worth Tk 7.65 lakh.