In Kishoreganj’s Austagram upazila, relentless rainfall, upstream floods, and adverse weather have destroyed vast stretches of boro paddy fields, leaving local farmers in despair. Many, including smallholder farmers from Habelipara and Daspara, have seen their crops submerged or spoiled, turning their hopes of a good harvest into financial ruin. Farmer Md. Malek, who cultivated 20 acres on high-interest loans, managed to harvest only a fraction of his crop, with the rest lost under water. The poor quality of the salvaged paddy has further reduced its market value.

Another farmer, Md. Rezaul Islam Rezu, reported similar losses, while on May 2, 2026, farmer Md. Akhtar Hossain of Alinagar village reportedly died of cardiac arrest amid mounting debt and crop failure. Thousands of farmers across Austagram now face the dual burden of natural calamity and loan repayment pressure from moneylenders and NGOs.

The report warns that without urgent government or private assistance, recovering from these losses will be nearly impossible for affected farmers.