Prasad Roy had big plans for this Aman season.
Just last week, the farmer from Khalashi Bunia village in Khulna’s Batiaghata upazila prepared a 10-katha seedbed, hoping to raise enough saplings to plant across 17 bighas of paddy land.
But days of incessant rain have left the seedbed completely submerged, washing away his hopes of a healthy crop.
Despite repeated attempts, he has been unable to drain the water using shallow pumps. The seedlings have already been destroyed, leaving him with no option but to prepare the seedbed again.
“I have to start all over again, which means more expenses and more uncertainty,” he said, adding, “The Shalta River, which flows beside my village, has silted up over the last five years. All the canals in our beel have been filled in and grabbed, so they can no longer discharge water. As a result, we have been suffering for years.”
Like Prasad, thousands of farmers across the country have been affected by the ongoing heavy monsoon rains.
Data from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) show that the rains have affected 43 districts -- including Chattogram, Noakhali, Cumilla, Barishal, Khulna and Sylhet -- impacting more than 5 lakh farmers and damaging over 1.14 lakh hectares of farmland, or around 9 percent of the total cultivated area of more than 13 lakh hectares.
The affected crops include Aus and Aman seedbeds, summer vegetables, ginger, turmeric, papaya and others.
The damaged farmland includes 79,500 hectares of Aus paddy, 10,504 hectares of Aman seedbeds, and 17,800 hectares of summer vegetable fields.
The extensive crop losses have raised concerns over potential supply constraints that could further fuel domestic food inflation.
Farmers said many vegetable plants have either rotted or wilted due to waterlogging, while newly transplanted seedlings have failed to survive.
In Chak Shailmari village of Khulna’s Batiaghata upazila, farmer Mirin Goldar invested Tk 70,000 to plant early bean seedlings. But excessive rainfall destroyed nearly half of the saplings, dealing a severe financial blow.
Khulna District Agriculture Officer Md Nazrul Islam said a preliminary assessment shows that about 340 hectares of cropland have been affected by excessive rainfall.
“Some crops may recover, some will suffer partial damage, while others have been completely destroyed.”
In Patuakhali’s Sadar upazila, farmer Faruk Hossain of Auliapur village said he had prepared transplanted Aman seedbeds on one acre of land, but they are now submerged under knee-deep water.
“Once the water recedes, I will have to prepare the seedbeds again. That means I will have to buy paddy seeds from the market. Most farmers in my area are facing the same situation.”
Betel leaf growers have also suffered heavy losses after continuous rain damaged their plantations.
Three farmers from Kagjirpul area in Patuakhali’s Bauphal upazila -- Belayet Khan, Zakir Hossain and Jahangir Hossain -- estimated their combined losses at around Tk 17-20 lakh after their betel leaf plantations were damaged.
Seventy-year-old Belayet said, “I have lost everything. I invested all my savings in this plantation.”
Zakir, who supports a family of six, said he is already burdened with bank and NGO loans, while Jahangir said he was uncertain how he would repay his debts and support his family after the devastating losses.
The prolonged rainfall has also hit low-income earners.
Mohammad Zakir Hossain, a rickshaw puller in Patuakhali town, said passenger numbers have dropped sharply because of the rain.
“It has been raining since morning. There are very few passengers on the roads. Today [yesterday], I earned only half of what I usually make in a day. It is becoming difficult to support my family.”
Md Obaidur Rahman Mondol, director of the field services wing at the DAE, told The Daily Star that the department is closely monitoring the situation and conducting field-level assessments as floodwaters recede.
“The priority is to determine the actual extent of crop damage, assess potential losses, and prepare a list of affected farmers,” he said.
“To support affected farmers, necessary measures are being considered, including providing Aman and early winter vegetable seeds, as well as fertilisers where appropriate. These initiatives aim to help farmers recover quickly and continue agricultural activities following the adverse weather conditions.”
He said local administrations were collecting data on agricultural losses following the prime minister’s directives. Once the assessment is complete, support will be provided promptly at the union and ward levels, according to a press release.
“The government will provide all necessary assistance to help farmers recover and resume farming activities without delay,” the minister said.
Earlier at an event on July 11, Agriculture Minister Mohammed Amin Ur Rashid had said the government was preparing a list of farmers affected by the recent floods to provide them with targeted rehabilitation support.
Agricultural economist Jahangir Alam Khan said the extent of the damage will largely depend on the duration of flooding, the intensity of the rain, and how quickly the water recedes.
“If the water recedes quickly, overall crop losses can be minimised, and some submerged crops may still recover. However, prolonged waterlogging could significantly increase damage, particularly to Aus paddy, Aman seedbeds, vegetables and other agricultural produce,” he said.
“Although the affected area is not very large compared with the country’s total cultivated land, the impact on farmers and rural communities in the affected regions is substantial. The consequences extend beyond crops, affecting poultry, livestock, fisheries and animal feed.”
Jahangir further said immediate attention is needed to support affected farmers, ensure the availability of seeds and other agricultural inputs, and address the shortage of livestock feed.
“Proper assessment and timely assistance will be essential to help farmers recover from the losses and maintain food security,” he added.
“With the possibility of further flooding in the northern regions, the Teesta basin, and areas such as Sylhet and Sunamganj, continuous monitoring and preparedness will be necessary.”
