Zakir Azad, Cumilla

'Nabanna Festival ' is going on during the Bengali month of 'Paush ' amid harvesting of new paddy. Various types of cakes made from the rice powder of new rice fill the atmosphere of the Nabanna Festival in the homes of farmers.However, this year, this traditional scene has changed.

This year, as the seedlings of Aman paddy were destroyed in the terrible floods of the past and the Aman cultivation was disrupted due to the heavy rains after the floods, most of the farmers in Burichang-Brahmanpara of Cumilla do not have the atmosphere of Nabanna.

It has been seen on the ground that this year, due to the floods and heavy rains, the crops in the two upazilas have been severely damaged.

At the moment of starting the Aman cultivation, there was a crisis of Aman seedlings. Due to this, the Aman cultivation was delayed. Then the farmers were again hit by heavy rains.

This also damaged the crops and the farmers had to cultivate Aman at an untimely time. As a result, most of the fields in the various Aman fields in the upazila have not yet ripened rice. In some fields, rice is just emerging. In some places, due to floods and heavy rains after the floods, Aman fields are lying empty. Although there should have been a harvest festival in these fields at this time, these uncultivated fields are full of weeds.

Although farmers are supposed to have brought new rice into their homes at this time, most of the farmers' barns are still empty. Therefore, like other years, there is no Nabanna festival in the homes of Burichang-Brahmanpara farmers this year. According to the Burichang Upazila Agriculture Department, many farmers in Burichang Upazila were unable to plant seedbeds and seedlings of Aman this year due to the terrible floods that occurred in August this year.

The target of Aman was only 9,400 hectares, but 8,096 hectares were achieved. In total, 57,000 farmers suffered more or less losses due to the terrible floods. In Brahmanpara Upazila, crops of 5,032 hectares of land have been damaged. This has resulted in the loss of more than 90 crore taka of rice, aman and vegetables. About 30,000 farmers have faced losses. Due to heavy rains after the flood, the fields of aman rice were again submerged in water.

However, many farmers have again cultivated aman rice. This year, the target of aman rice cultivation was set at 5,430 hectares due to the disaster, aman rice has been cultivated on 3,563 hectares of land this year, the rice of most of the cultivated land has not yet ripened. Due to which, although some farmers have harvested aman rice, most farmers have not yet been able to harvest aman rice even if it is late, farmers who have cultivated aman rice will be able to harvest ripe rice.

Meanwhile, farmer Surut Ali of Rajapur Union of the upazila says that first the flood and several heavy rains after the flood delayed the cultivation of aman rice. Due to untimely cultivation of Aman, they are still unable to harvest Aman rice. This year's yield has not been good either. In some fields, rice has not even emerged. Farmers are worried about crop losses again and again. That is why most farmers are not celebrating Nabanna this time. Kabir Miah, a farmer from Nagaish area of Shashidal union in Brahmanpara upazila, said, this time our ripe Aus rice and Aman rice seedlings and Aman seedbeds planted in the land have been destroyed in the flood. There was a shortage of rice seedlings after the flood. We collected rice seedlings from the surrounding upazilas and cultivated Aman. But they were also damaged due to heavy rains. This time, we are not in the mood for Nabanna this year due to crop losses.

Jaru Miah, a farmer from Alua area of Malapara union in the upazila, said, after the flood, we were given agricultural incentives from the upazila agricultural office this year, due to the delay in Aman cultivation due to floods and heavy rains, we have not been able to harvest Aman rice yet.

The crop yield has not been very good either. Paddy has not yet sprouted on many fields, and we are doubtful whether those fields will yield at all. Overall, we do not have the joy of Nabanna this year. Burichang Upazila Agriculture Officer and Agriculturist Afrina Akhter said that many farmers in Burichang Upazila could not cultivate Aman rice this year due to the breach of the Gomti dam we have given cash, Rabi crop and rice seeds and fertilizer incentives to the farmers of the upazila to reduce the flood water. Farmers have sown various types of vegetables, such as mustard, corn, potatoes, to compensate for the loss. I hope the farmers will be able to compensate for it this year.

Brahmanpara Upazila Agriculture Officer and Agriculturist Masud Rana said that almost all the crops in the field were damaged in the terrible floods in the past year. Due to the flood at the time of planting Aman rice seedlings, Aman rice seedlings were planted much later this year. That is why the crop harvesting has started late this year.

Aman crop harvesting has already started in some unions. Due to the damage caused by the flood, more incentives have been given this year compared to other years. He said, after the flood this year, incentives have been given to more than 10,000 farmers including Aman, Boro, Rabi crops and vegetables.

Upazila Agricultural Extension Department is working tirelessly to ensure that the farmers can recover from the flood damage and get back on their feet.