As floodwaters recede in Haluaghat, Dhobaura, and Phulpur upazilas of Mymensingh, residents are returning to their homes, only to witness the devastation left behind.
The floods, which caused extensive damage to crops, have led to an estimated loss of Tk 322.46 crore in paddy and vegetables across the three upazilas.
According to the local agricultural office, the sudden flood destroyed 10,560 hectares of Aman paddy and 18 hectares of vegetables in Dhobaura, while Haluaghat saw 10,310 hectares of paddy and 45 hectares of vegetables damaged.
In Phulpur, 3,893 hectares of paddy and 45 hectares of vegetables were ruined. The total loss in Dhobaura amounted to Tk 134.75 crore for paddy and Tk 1.08 crore for vegetables.
Haluaghat suffered losses of Tk 131.56 crore in paddy and Tk 2.70 crore in vegetables, while Phulpur's losses totaled Tk 49.67 crore in paddy and Tk 2.70 crore in vegetables.
District Relief and Disaster Rehabilitation Officer, D. Sanwar Hossain, said that 1.57 lakh people have been affected in these upazilas. Efforts are underway to assess the full extent of the damage, and detailed reports will be shared after the survey.
Farmers, like Kabir Sarwar Sujan of Baghber Union in Dhobaura, are devastated. "Forty acres of fish farms and 150 acres of paddy have been wiped out. I’ve been farming fish and paddy for 40 years and never imagined such a disaster," he said, appealing for government support to recover.
Rafiqul Islam, a farmer from Sinheswar village in Phulpur, expressed similar despair. "All our paddy and vegetable fields are gone. We have no idea how we’ll survive without government assistance," he lamented.
Phulpur Upazila Agricultural Extension Officer Kamrul Hasan Kamu mentioned that farmers are being encouraged to replant with crops like mustard and corn, and seeds will be provided for free.
Nasreen Akhtar Banu, Deputy Director of Mymensingh Agricultural Extension Department, acknowledged the severe losses and stated that appeals have been made to higher authorities for guidance and support.
The flood, triggered by continuous rains and landslides on October 4, affected over two lakh people in these upazilas, causing extensive damage to homes, roads, and farmland.