Aftermath of Cyclone Bulbul: Fish enclosures, winter vegetables on vast areas damaged in Bagerhat
The recent heavy rains and flash flood triggered by cyclone Bulbul have massively damaged vegetables and fish enclosures in Bagerhat, pushing farmers of the coastal district into despondency.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Bagerhat, about 22,900 vegetable growers have incurred a loss of Tk 3.77 crore since the cyclone brought incessant rain and wind gusts across the region earlier this month.
Moreover, a total 7,501 fish enclosures were damaged causing a loss of Tk 3.55 crore to the owners.
As a result, it would be difficult to achieve the production target of 32,000 tonnes shrimp in the current financial year, Bagerhat DAE Deputy Director Raghunath Kar said.
Shrimp farmers said natural disasters hit them every year.
“Trees fell on the embankments of the enclosures during the heavy rains. As a result, fishes could find their ways into the river,” said Mizan Sheikh of Sangdia village of Kachua upazila.
“I had spent Tk 5 lakh on seven bighas of land, where I set up the enclosure. I cultivated shrimp, prawn and carp fish. But due to incessant rain, all the fish went out in the river,” he told this paper.
District Fisheries Officer (DFO) Khaled Kanak said that the owners of fish enclosures in Bagerhat played a vital role in export of shrimp.
On the other hand, vegetables on 1,300 hectares of land were damaged in the district, according to the DFO. He, however, could not ascertain the number of affected farmers.
“Most of the farmers had cultivated early varieties of winter vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, tomato and other varieties with a hope to earn a good profit but flash flood swept away vast tracts of their land,” he told this paper.
The winter vegetables were damaged mostly in Chitalmari, Kochua, Bagerhat Sadar and Mollarhat upazilas, added the official.
“The storm hit right when the vegetables were ready for sale. I had cultivated cauliflower, cabbage and tomato on four bighas land,” said Gopaldas, a farmer of Sangdia village in Kochua upazila.
Fakir Mahidul Islam Sumon, president of Bagerhat Shrimp Farmers Association, said, “Every year, shrimp farmers suffer due to natural disasters. In order to save this business in the region, the government must provide some aid to the victims.”
He sought assistance from the government to mitigate the losses.
Badhal Union Council Chairman Nakib Foysal Ohid said, “Cyclone Bulbul has caused irreparable damage to the farmers. Without assistance, the farmers cannot overcome the loss.”
On that, DAE officer Raghunath said, “Fertilisers and seeds will be provided so that farmers can recover from their loss.”
Nahiduzzaman Khan, executive engineer of Water Development Board (WDB), told this paper that 18.53 kilometre of embankments have been damaged in Sharankhola and Morrelganj upazilas.
When asked, what steps were being taken to help the farmers who get hit by natural calamities every year, Nahiduzzaman said, “Efforts are on to build durable enclosures.”
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