Badiuzzaman Tuhin, Noakhali.

They have faced losses of lakhs of taka by cultivating watermelons in the summer in the hope of higher profits this year. This situation has arisen due to waterlogging caused by heavy rains since July 8. 

They have taken loans from various NGOs and banks to cultivate watermelons and are facing financial hardship. The affected farmers have demanded government incentives.

The investigation revealed that in 2025, watermelon was cultivated using the mulching (macha) method in Sadar, Chatkhil, Companiganj and Subarnachar upazilas of the district. 

Summer watermelon cultivation produces good yields at low cost. As a result, farmers are leaning towards watermelon cultivation in the hope of more profit. Abdul Quader (48), a farmer from Purba Aojbalia village of Aojbalia union in Sadar upazila, said that since summer watermelon cultivation using the mulching method is profitable, he has been cultivating watermelon off-season for the last 4 years. This year, he cultivated watermelon using the mulching method on 60 acres of land at a cost of Tk 50,000. Due to waterlogging caused by continuous heavy rains on July 8-10, his entire field was submerged under water. All the trees died. 

As a result, he could not sell a single watermelon. Due to this, he suffered a loss of Tk 5 lakh. He said, I cultivated watermelon by taking a loan from an NGO. There was hope of paying off the NGO loan by selling watermelons by the end of July. But all is over. Another farmer from Purba Aojbalia village, Md. Zafar Mia, cultivated watermelons on 30 acres of land. He said that he has suffered a loss of more than two lakh taka as all the trees in his field have died. Mofiz Majhi (65), a farmer from Char Nonglia village in Purba Charbata union of Subarnachar upazila, said that this year he has suffered a loss of at least three lakh taka from cultivating watermelons. This situation has arisen because the watermelon trees have died in the water. No one from the agriculture department comes. They do not even give any advice. Let alone incentives. Md. Shamsuddin, a summer watermelon farmer from Ward No. 9 of Char Clark union in the same upazila, said that this year he cultivated watermelons on 20 acres of land. After selling watermelons worth one lakh taka, the trees have died. He could have sold watermelons worth at least two lakh taka more. Denying the farmers' complaints, Subarnachar Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Harunur Rashid said, "The Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer and I personally inspect the land in various unions.

 Even then, if we receive a complaint from any farmer, we will investigate and take action." Dr. Mira Rani Das, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension's Noakhali office, agriculturist, told Dainik Desher Katha that since July 8, heavy rains and waterlogging have caused extensive damage to agricultural crops including watermelon. The ongoing waterlogging has caused damage to agricultural crops including Aush paddy, Aman seedbed and autumn vegetables worth Tk 51 crore 18 lakh 40 thousand.

 A letter has been written to the department to list the affected farmers and provide them with incentives. If the allocation is received, it will be distributed among the affected farmers.