500 acres of cropland submerged in Jashore amid heavy rains

NN Online:

Around 500 acres of cropland have been submerged in Sharsha upazila of Jashore due to a sharp rise in the Ichamati River’s water level following days of heavy rainfall.

Local farmers reported that low-lying agricultural lands in Rudrapur, Goga, Sharsha, Bahadurpur, Putkhali, Bagachra, Navaron, and parts of Shyamlagachhi, along with most villages in Benapole, are underwater—severely affecting Aman paddy cultivation.

They said annual waterlogging during the monsoon has become a recurring crisis, mainly because the Ichamati River routinely overflows. Farmers blamed poor drainage infrastructure and the lack of timely dredging at the river’s mouth for the prolonged stagnation.

“In areas like Thengamari and Awali Beel, water doesn’t recede for weeks. We’re left with the option of growing just one crop per year,” said Hossain Ali, a farmer from Rudrapur. He urged the authorities to implement sustainable drainage solutions and extend support to affected farmers.

Sharsha Upazila Agriculture Officer Dipak Kumar Saha said the recent rains have already damaged five hectares of Aman seedbeds, 35 hectares of Aman paddy, and 20 hectares of jute fields.

He warned that if the waterlogging persists, cultivation on nearly 500 acres of land in Thengamari may not be feasible this season. Saha called on the Water Development Board to take immediate steps to improve drainage in the affected wetlands.