Boro paddy fields in Gaibandha inundated

With sudden rise of water level in the Jamuna, flash floods inundated immature kali boro, an early variety of boro paddy, on 20 hectares of char (landmass emerging from riverbed) lands in Fulchhari upazila under the district.

While visiting areas of Kanchipara union in Fulchhari upazila yesterday, this correspondent saw farmers reaping green and half ripe boro paddy in knee to waist deep water in their crop fields.

"I have cultivated kali boro paddy on two bighas of land with hope to meet our family need for at least three months, but water inundated all the crops," said Aynal Huq, a marginal farmer of Purbo Kanchipara village.

Three hundred and eighty hectares of land have been brought under kali boro cultivation in 70 chars in Jamuna river basin areas under Fulchhari upazila, according to upazila agriculture extension office.

Farmers plant seedlings of kali boro on char lands in dry season, despite knowing that later flash flood may dash their hopes.

Farmers of relatively high lands are able to harvest it duly, but paddy fields in low lying areas are often affected by flash floods before harvesting, said local farmers.

This time flash water submerged the char lands much earlier, causing serious losses to farmers, said Habibur Rahman, chairman of Fulchhari Upazila Parishad.