Nearly 30 percent of the country’s total crop production comes from the Haor region. In the low-lying, flood-prone wetlands of the northeast, boro paddy is the main crop cultivated each year. However, these crops suffer significant damage annually due to flash floods from upstream hills, disrupting the overall food supply. Sunamganj, a haor-dominated district, reported hailstorms over the past two days. Heavy rainfall was recorded across several upazilas on Monday as well. Earlier, a record amount of hail fell on Sunday. Crops in various haors across Sadar, Bishwambarpur, Jamalganj, Tahirpur, Dharmapasha, Shantiganj, and Chhatak upazilas have been affected. Continuous rainfall has left haor farmers worried. They remain in fear of upstream flows and early flooding. However, the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said that although rainfall is forecast upstream, there is no immediate risk of early flooding.
This year, boro paddy has been cultivated on 223,511 hectares of land in Sunamganj. Heavy rainfall began across different upazilas from Saturday afternoon. A strong storm began at night. Despite light and moderate storms with rain over the night, no major damage was reported. On Sunday afternoon in Tahirpur and later at night in Sadar, Bishwambarpur, Jamalganj, Dharmapasha, Madhyanagar, Shantiganj, and Chhatak, widespread hailstorms struck, damaging boro crops.
Farmers said paddy plants have just started growing panicles toward the end of the boro season. In such a time, a hailstorm is severely damaging to crops. Abdus Sobhan, a farmer from Shialmara Haor, said, “The hailstorm last night was so intense that piles of hail formed on the ground. The paddy had only just started to grow, and this strike has caused significant damage.”
Despite farmers’ concerns, agriculture officials said major losses are unlikely to occur. Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Sunamganj, Mohammad Omar Faruk, said, “Hailstorms occurred sporadically across different upazilas. Still, 90 percent of the paddy has not developed panicles, so significant damage is unlikely.”
Meanwhile, continuous rainfall has caused waterlogging in low-lying land across several haors, including Shialmara and Joalbhanga in Sadar upazila, Pakhimara and Nagdora in Shantiganj. Farmers warned that if the rain continues, waterlogging, combined with upstream flows, could submerge crops due to early flooding. In Joalbhanga Haor, large areas of cropland have already gone underwater due to waterlogging. Farmers in the area cut sections of crop protection embankments to allow water to drain.
Habibur Rahman, a farmer from Rahmatpur village in Joalbhanga haor, said, “We have long demanded sluice gates alongside embankments. When it rains, crops go underwater. After last night’s rain, hundreds of bighas of land were submerged. Village people had to cut the embankments. If the water cannot be drained, even a little more rain will drown the crops.”
Farmers also expressed concern over incomplete embankment construction, which could leave crops exposed to early flooding. According to BWDB data, the government is constructing 603 kilometres of embankments across 53 haors in 12 upazilas of Sunamganj to protect boro crops from early floods and upstream flows. A total allocation of BDT 14.8 million has been made for the project. Work began on December 15 through 718 Project Implementation Committees (PICs) and was scheduled to be completed by February 28. Officials said more than 80 percent of the work has been completed within the stipulated time.
BWDB Executive Engineer Mamun Howlader urged farmers not to panic, as there is no flood forecast at present. “Although rainfall is forecast, a flood condition hasn’t yet developed. Where waterlogging occurs, we’re trying to drain the water. Rain and storms on Sunday night will naturally cause water to accumulate in some areas. Construction of 603 kilometres of embankments is underway to protect boro crops from upstream flows and early flooding,” he said.
Meanwhile, hailstorms were also reported early Sunday in Sylhet city and in Sadar, South Surma, Bishwanath, and Kanaighat upazilas. Farmers fear that continued hail could cause extensive damage to boro paddy and other rabi crops. Particularly, vegetable growers may face significant losses.