Flood: Narail fisheries, agriculture sectors suffer Tk100 crore losses

The fisheries and agriculture sectors in Narail have incurred losses worth Tk100 crore, due to flood caused by multiple rounds of heavy rainfall during the monsoon.

Massive flooding after continuous rains submerged at least 3,500 fish enclosures and ponds, out of 5,300 on 1,700 hectares of land in the district.

About 66% of the fish enclosures were impacted, resulting in losses of Tk90 crore in the fisheries sector alone, according to Fisheries Department.

Department of Agricultural Extension sources said the flood also damaged crops, including Aman paddy and vegetables such as beans, pumpkins, cucumbers, and papayas, causing additional losses worth Tk 10 crore.

Thousands of farmers in Narail Sadar, Lohagara, and Kalia upazilas were severely impacted, with Narail Sadar and Kalia being the most affected.

Local farmers and DAE officials said the district's economy heavily relies on agriculture and fish farming, surrounded by wetlands and enclosures. About 82% of the population is engaged in agriculture, and over 50,000 people are directly involved in fish farming.

The scale of the damage has left many in distress, including fish farmer Md. Ahaduzzaman from Bhawakali wetland, who said, "I invested heavily this year, hoping to earn at least Tk 10 lakh, but my three enclosures were completely flooded."

He also lost his vegetable crops and now struggles to repay loans.

Other farmers face similar difficulties. Jiru Sheikh, a fish farmer from Durgapur, said, "I have never faced such losses before. All the fish from my enclosures have been washed away, causing a loss of Tk 7 lakh."

Azizur Sheikh from the same area reported damages exceeding Tk8 lakh after losing fish from four of his five enclosures and the vegetables on the banks. Farmer Khaza Mia lamented that the flooding made it impossible to distinguish between the wetland and enclosures, while Tazibur Sherikh from Arpara village said he could no longer walk across fields without a boat.

The agriculture and fisheries departments have started assessing the damage.

Md. Ashek Parvez, deputy director of the DAE, said, "A list of affected farmers has been prepared. The government will provide fertilisers and seeds to help them recover."

Besides, District Fisheries Officer H.M. Badruzzaman said a list of affected fish enclosure owners has been submitted to higher authorities for possible assistance.

Despite the devastation, Narail remains a surplus district in food and fish production. The annual fish demand is 16,000 metric tons, but production reaches at least 18,000 metric tons, leaving a surplus of 2,000 metric tons. Besides, the district produces at least one lakh metric tons of surplus food annually.

However, the recent rainfall has jeopardised the livelihoods of thousands dependent on fisheries and agriculture.