Jaydul Islam

Illegal sand extraction from the Mahadeo river in Kalmakanda upazila and the Someshwari river in Durgapur upazila of Netrokona continues unabated despite a ban, court directives and repeated administrative drives.

Concrete blocks from a crop protection embankment in Mohanganj upazila of Netrokona are allegedly being removed at night and sold or used for personal purposes despite complaints to the authorities.

In the midst of the haor region in Netrokona’s Madan upazila, Kuturikona -- a small village -- is gradually transforming into a hub of duck farming, bringing self-reliance to its residents, especially the women.

Atikur Rahman braved lightning and waist-deep water to harvest his half-ripened Boro crop. Rain lashed the haor almost without pause. Upstream water surged in. He raced against nature, trying to salvage whatever paddy he could.

Untimely rains, floods, and upstream water inflow have left thousands of Boro farmers in the haor belt reeling from crop losses and plunging paddy prices.

Continuous rainfall over the past week has triggered a severe labour shortage in the haor region, compounding the challenges for farmers already racing against time to harvest their Boro crops.

Farmers in the haor region have suffered a further decline in Boro paddy prices as intermittent rain and clouds continue to prevent proper drying of harvested crops.

Rains hit harvest before govt procurement begins