Flash floods and overflowing waters from the Matamuhuri River have damaged at least 458 hectares of cropland in Alikadam Upazila of Bandarban, dealing a heavy blow to hundreds of farmers and destroying seasonal crops across four unions.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), continuous heavy rainfall, hill runoff and rising river levels inundated farmland in Alikadam Sadar, Chaikkhyong, Nayapara and Kurukpata unions, destroying aman and aus paddy seedlings, brinjal, bitter gourd, snake gourd, okra, cucumber, chilli and papaya plantations.
Officials said farmers had also lost investments made in seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and labour.
Many of the affected fields are now buried under mud, with uprooted papaya trees and damaged vegetable plots replacing what had been productive farmland only days earlier.
Farmer Kawsar Uddin Bappi said his 10-hectare papaya plantation had been completely destroyed.
“I cultivated the land with loans from banks and different associations. I have suffered losses of around Tk2.8 million to Tk3 million. I have no capital left and do not know how I will repay the loans,” he said, urging the government to provide incentives and soft agricultural loans.
Another farmer, Belal Uddin, said he had borrowed money to purchase seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and hire labourers, expecting to repay the debt after selling the harvest.
“The flood has ruined everything. I do not even have vegetables left to harvest. Without government support, small farmers like us will not be able to recover,” he said.
Nurul Absar, another affected farmer, said papaya and seasonal vegetables had been his family’s only source of income.
“Everything has been washed away. I have no money to start farming again. We need seeds, fertiliser and financial assistance to return to the fields,” he said.
Md Mizbah Uddin, president of Pattakhaiya Para Farmers’ Cooperative Society Ltd in Chaikkhyong union, said between 100 and 150 farmers in the cooperative had cultivated crops using borrowed money and most had now been left destitute.
“Hundreds of farmers have seen their dreams washed away. Without government assistance, restarting cultivation will be extremely difficult,” he said.
The DAE said field officials were preparing detailed assessments of crop losses across the upazila to determine the extent of the damage.
Alikadam Upazila Agriculture Officer Sohail Rana said the flooding, triggered by several days of heavy rain and rising waters in the Matamuhuri River from 5 July, had caused extensive damage to the agricultural sector.
He said the DAE, in coordination with the Bandarban Hill District Council, would provide agricultural incentives, vegetable seeds and other assistance to affected farmers.
Alikadam Upazila Nirbahi Officer Monjur Alam said a list of affected farmers was being prepared through the agriculture department and that the damage assessment would be submitted to the relevant government authorities to facilitate the distribution of incentives and other support.
