KHULNA, Sept 28, 2024 (BSS) – Heavy rains over the last couple of days led to severe water logging in the vast areas of Beel Dakatia under Fultala and Dumuria upazilas in Khulna.

At least 8,250 shrimp and white fish enclosures and 3,751 hectares of croplands have been completely washed away by the relentless rain, causing an estimated loss of Taka 100 crore.

Talking to BSS, senior fisheries officer of Dumuria Upazila Md. Abubakar Siddique, said a total of 7,500 shrimp and fish enclosures covering an area of 3,036 hectares of land in Beel Dakatiya under Dumuria Upazila have been washed away, causing immense suffering for the fish and crop farmers.
 
The estimated loss of the fisheries sectors in the Dumuria upazila part of Beel Dakatia is around Tk 45 crore, he said.
 
Agricultural officer of Dumuria Upazila Md. Insad Ibn Amin told BSS that due to continuous rainfall for several days, vast areas of ??Bil Dakatia have been inundated.
 
In the agriculture sector, huge losses were occurred in paddy and vegetable farming -- in Rangpur, Gutudia, Roghunathpur, and Thamalia Unions of Dumuria upazila -- due to overflow of rainwater, he said adding that summer tomatoes have been damaged mostly.
 
The estimated loss in the agriculture sector of these five Unions of Dumuria Upazila is around Taka 35 crore, he said, adding that marginal farmers have advised to make canals to divert water from the croplands in the rainy season.
 
Besides, the supply of irrigation equipment should be available for increasing production in the agriculture sector. Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) deals with irrigation systems for farmers. Farmers expect the government to establish BADC offices at the upazila level, he added.

Senior Fisheries Officer of Fultala Upazila Fisheries Extension Office Md Salim Sultan, said that a total of 750 fish enclosures on 715 hectares of land have been overflowed in the Beel Dakatia part of Phultala Upazila due to heavy rain for several days. The shrimps and white fishes of these enclosures have been washed away.  The total estimated loss to the fisheries sector is over Taka 5.5 crore.
 
He, however, said we have already started the work of preparing the list of fish farmers who have incurred losses due to flood caused by heavy rains with a view to provide them government assistance.
 
Razia Sultana, agriculture officer of the Fultala Upazila told BSS that crops have been damaged in the Beel Dakatia in Fultala Upazila due to continuous heavy rainfall for the last couple of days.
 
Rustum Ali, an owner of fish enclosures of Beel Dakatiya under Teligati Mauza, told BSS, that the fish farmers of Beel Dakatia faced huge losses due to overflow of the rainwater.
 
He said two fish enclosures out of my three fish enclosures covering an area of 75 acres, have been submerged. Fishes worth about Taka 4 crore have been washed away due to heavy rainfall caused by overflowing water.
 
“We will be able to overcome the losses if the government provides us incentives,” he said.

When contacted, Assistant Meteorologist Md Amirul Azad, Officer-in-Charge of the Department of Bangladesh Metrological Department in Khulna told BSS, a total of 111-millimetre rainfall was recorded in the city on September 25, 26 and 27 till 6pm yesterday (Friday).