The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) hereby issues a Critical Alert for the farmers and residents of the Sunamganj haor basin. Recent intense transboundary rainfall in the upstream Meghalaya and Assam hilly regions has triggered a rapid, non-linear rise in the water levels of all major river systems in the Northeast.
Current hydrological data indicate that the Surma River at Kanaighat and the Kushiyara River at Amalshid have already breached their respective danger levels. With the meteorological forecast predicting continued heavy precipitation over the next 72 hours, the risk of embankment failure and total crop submergence is categorised as Extreme.
This document serves as an official directive for immediate community mobilisation and the implementation of emergency crop management protocols to prevent catastrophic loss of life and livelihoods. The window for preventative action is narrowing; immediate adherence to the following guidelines is mandatory for the preservation of the current Boro harvest.
Rivers Rise Faster than Anticipated
The two primary rivers of Sunamganj are the Surma River and the Kushiyara River. They have exceeded the flood level in numerous locations right now. The Surma River at Kanaighat is 800-1600 mm above the dangerous level and the Kushiyara River at Amalshid is 400-1800 mm above the flood line. The third river, the Baulai River, is another crucial river that serves the haor basin and is well-known for rising after heavy rains.
The fact that these rivers are all connected is of even greater concern; when there certain amount of rain upstream, the floodwaters are delivered from upstream to the downstream areas. Thus, there is no time to waste; even a short period of time in responding to the problem could lead to catastrophic events.
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Why This Alert Matters More Than Usual
Farmers in Sunamganj have seen their fair share of flood alerts. However, this time is different. There is already an increase in water levels from the constant rain occurring upstream. And, once the rain starts falling on the local area, the haor basin can flood in a matter of hours.
Sunamganj’s geographical location is prone to flooding because of its low-lying haor areas. This allows for rapid accumulation of rainfall and floodwater from rivers. According to the government officials of BWDB:
‘If your Boro paddy is 80-85% mature, it’s mature enough to be harvested. Waiting for your Boro paddy to reach full maturity could result in total loss of your product.’
Total Loss of Crop: The Greatest Risk
Committee members stated that the risk to farmers is not slow-moving damage but complete and instant loss of crops.
Once water enters the fields, paddy plants will start collapsing or flattening. Paddy grains will start to spoil and will become nearly impossible to harvest after three days.
Past flood events in Sunamganj have demonstrated to farmers that a whole season’s worth of work can be destroyed.
What Farmers Can Do Immediately
The priority is to get the crop harvested quickly and as efficiently as possible.
- Start harvesting your fields with the most mature crops first.
- If you have access to combine harvesters or reapers, use them to get crops harvested quickly so that you do not have as much exposure to flooded conditions due to rising waters.
If you may be forced to use a manual method to harvest your crops:
- Cut the paddy and move it from the field as soon as possible after it is cut
- Do not leave cut paddy in piles
- Transport the paddy to a safe location to be threshed
Delays in cutting, transporting or threshing paddy can dramatically increase your risk of losing paddy.
Drying and Storing Harvested Paddy: An Essential Step
Harvesting paddy is only one-half of getting a crop successful. You will also need to focus on the safe storage of your harvested paddy.
After your harvested paddy is threshed:
- Dry your paddy within 1-2 days of being threshed
- Spread your paddy as thinly (3-5 cm thick) as possible on clean mats or plastic sheets
- Cover your paddy from exposure to rain and moisture
Your paddy will spoil quickly if it is not properly dried or is exposed to excessive moisture, substantially reducing its value both in quality and potential selling price.
Do Not Make These Mistakes Under Any Circumstances
When you are in an emergency situation like you are now, mistakes can be very costly.
- Do not store harvested paddy in the field for long periods of time
- Do not delay in threshing the harvested paddy
- Do not attempt to harvest paddy in flooded fields or use machinery to operate in flooded fields.
A Narrow Window of Opportunity
What makes this situation critical is timing. Farmers are not being asked to follow a routine harvest schedule—they are being urged to act within a shrinking window.
River levels are already high. Upstream rainfall continues. Local rain could trigger flooding at any moment. Once water enters the haor basin, there may be no time left to react.
FAQs
1. Why are farmers in Sunamganj being asked to harvest early?
Because river levels in the Surma River, Kushiyara River, and Baulai River are rising above danger levels, increasing the risk of sudden flash floods that can destroy crops.
2. What happens if farmers delay harvesting?
Delays can lead to total crop loss. Flash floods can submerge fields quickly, causing paddy to rot, flatten, or become impossible to harvest.
4. What is the fastest way to harvest safely?
Using a combine harvester is the fastest and safest method. It cuts and threshes simultaneously, reducing exposure to flood risk.
6. Why is Sunamganj more vulnerable to flash floods?
Sunamganj lies in a haor region, which is low-lying and fills quickly with water from surrounding rivers, making floods spread rapidly across farmland.
