Sachchida Nanda Dey Saday, Ashashuni (Satkhira) 

The Baineboshot Sluice Gate in Kulla Union of Ashashuni Upazila, Satkhira, has become a source of immense suffering for farmers in five surrounding villages. 

During its reconstruction, an earthen dam was temporarily built at the gate’s mouth to block river water. However, the dam was not fully removed after construction was completed, disrupting the drainage system and leaving nearly 2,000 bighas of Aman paddy seedbeds submerged—twice in a row.

Vast stretches of seedbeds in the villages of Bahadurpur, Kochua, Purohitpur, Dadpur, and Agardari are now underwater. Farmers first sowed seeds at the beginning of the monsoon, but continuous rainfall and stagnant water destroyed the seedbeds. They tried again, sowing new seeds, but the second batch has also drowned.

Local farmer Rampada Ghosh said, “If we can’t prepare seedbeds at this time of year, there’s no way to transplant rice. We’re devastated—rainwater on one side, and the blocked sluice on the other.”

According to sources, the temporary dam built to facilitate sluice gate reconstruction was only partially removed after the work was finished. As a result, water from the canals and wetlands cannot drain into the river, causing widespread waterlogging across agricultural lands, homesteads, and roads.

On Friday morning, frustrated farmers attempted to remove the dam by hand. However, due to its size and strength, they failed. The villagers are now demanding that an excavator be deployed immediately to remove the barrier. Otherwise, they fear that the entire Aman rice cultivation season will be ruined.

Farmer Gopal Ghosh stated, “If this continues, there will be no rice farming this year. We appeal to the government and the Water Development Board to take immediate action.”

When contacted, Ashashuni UNO  Krishna Roy told The Country Today , “I’ve advised the farmers to contact the relevant Sub-Engineer of the Water Development Board, and I will also speak to him personally to resolve the issue swiftly.”