80,000 acres of Boro land under water in Kishoreganj

According to sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Kishoreganj standing IRRI-Boro crops went under water in the vast haor area of Itna, Nikly, Astagram, Mitamain and Tarail upazilas due to flash flood caused by onrush of hilly waters from across the border and heavy rains during the last few days.

The break-up is as follows. Itna-40,000 acres, Mitamain-10,000, Nikly-4,000 acres, Astagram-6,000 acres and Tarail-20,000 acres.

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A farmer at Barohatkabila in Itna informed that last year he got 250 maunds of boro paddy but this year he harvested only 50 maunds of paddy.

Another Amir Ali of Nikly village disclosed he cultivated IRRI-Boro crops on 20 acres only which was totally damaged by flood.

Minister for Education Dr Osman Faruque and Minister for Housing and Public Works Mirza Abbas visited the affected area.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Jatiya Sangsad Advocate Abdul Hamid demanded of the government to declare the affected haor area of seven upazilas as a calamity area. He also demanded exemption of farmers' agriculture loan in the affected area.