Monsoon misses Kurigram; drought threatens Aman cultivation

While monsoon rains inundate many parts of Bangladesh, bringing floods and swollen rivers in the coastal and eastern regions, farmers in Kurigram are fighting with a starkly different crisis, a deepening drought that threatens to derail the Aman rice season.

Despite the Bengali month of Ashar drawing to a close, the skies over this northern district have offered little more than cloud cover and the occasional drizzle. With barely any rain and an unrelenting spell of heatwaves, large swathes of farmland lie cracked and scorched under the blazing sun.

Instead of the lush green fields typical of this season, farmers in Kurigram are faced with parched, barren land. The monsoon rains, crucial for the cultivation of Aman paddy, the country's second most important rice crop, remain elusive, leaving cultivators in dismay.

In Fulbari upazila, the scale of distress is profound. Fields meant for transplanting Aman seedlings remain untouched, riddled with deep fissures due to the bone-dry topsoil. Local farmers say the situation is becoming desperate.

"The earth has cracked open. We couldn't plough the land yet. Had there been rain, the fields would be ready by now for transplanting Aman seedlings," said Abul Kashem from Kurushaperusha village.

His neighbour, Shailan Chandra Roy, echoed the same concern.

Farmers in other parts of Fulbari — such as Bhanga Mor and Kashipur — are grappling with similar challenges.

"Normally, we prepare the fields and let them rest at least 15 days before planting, but without rain, nothing has been done. We may have to rely entirely on shallow pumps and irrigation, which will raise our production costs significantly," said Kartik Chandra Sarkar.

Fellow farmer Abdul Baten nodded in agreement, noting that the situation could escalate if rains do not arrive in the coming days.

In Gojerkuti and Balatari villages, frustration runs equally high. "It's the end of Ashar, and yet we've barely seen any rain. Only a light drizzle in the past few days. Without heavy rainfall soon, we'll have to depend entirely on machines and irrigation — which small farmers like us can hardly afford," said Shankar Pal, with Subal Chandra Roy beside him.

A field visit by the UNB correspondent to Fulbari revealed an alarming scene: vast tracts of fertile land lying fallow, cracked, and sun-scorched. While some low-lying areas have begun transplanting using shallow tube wells and residual water, these are the exception, not the norm.

According to Subol Chandra Sarker, Acting Officer at the Rajarhat Agricultural Weather Office, "The sky has been cloudy for a few days but no significant rainfall has occurred. While there's a chance of light rain within days, there is little or no possibility of heavy rainfall until at least July 13 or 14."

This grim forecast has left farmers and officials scrambling for alternatives.

Fulbari Upazila Agriculture Officer Mosammat Nilufa Yasmin acknowledged the severity of the situation.

"Due to extreme drought, farmers are unable to till their land properly. This year, the Aman cultivation target is set at 11,350 hectares in the upazila. So far, only around 7 hectares have been planted — mostly in areas with available irrigation. But we're hopeful that significant rainfall in the coming days could still allow farmers to meet the cultivation target," she said.

Yasmin said if rainfall continues to elude the region, the agriculture department will support farmers with technical advice and assistance in using shallow machines and irrigation systems to rescue what remains of the Aman crop season.