Jahangir Alam Bhuiyan’s ‘Mariam Dairy’ in Feni Sadar Upazila was doing quite well with 40 cows and 22 goats before the August floods ruined everything.

When the floodwaters first entered his farm, Jahangir was able to relocate some of the cattle and goats to a safer place. However, there was a severe shortage of fodder for the livestock trapped in the water. Some of the cows and goats became ill, and proper treatment couldn’t be administered amidst the flooding, reports bdnews24.com.

Jahangir, a resident of Paschim Sonapur village in Kazirbag Union, said: “During the floods, I lost nine cows and four goats. Of the nine cows, six were pregnant, and two were calves. Another cow died this Saturday.”

He was worried sick about the remaining cattle, saying, “Brother, I’ve lost a lot of money.”

Arif Mohammad Riaz Uddin, a farmer from Fatehpur village in Shorshodi Union, also faced significant losses due to the floods. Six out of his 15 cows have already died. Four cows were swept away by the floodwaters, and two more died after suffering from diseases once the water receded.

Arif’s farm is called ‘Alai Agro Farm,’ located between Fatehpur and Debipur, near the western side of the Fatehpur flyover.

Arif lamented that among the cows that died were a Friesian cow and its calf, as well as two bulls. The floods caused a loss of Tk 1 million to his farm.

Like Jahangir and Arif, thousands of farmers have suffered tremendous losses due to the floods. Many had invested with dreams of success, but those dreams were washed away by the floodwaters. On top of that, they now face the burden of loans, and with no income from the farm, they are deeply worried about how they will repay their debts.

The recent devastating floods have caused significant damage in Feni, Noakhali, and Cumilla in the eastern part of the country. However, the damage in Feni has been far worse compared to the other two districts.

Cattle stuck at a livestock farm submerged during the fierce flooding that recently devastated the northeast part of the country.

For nearly two weeks, millions of people in Feni have been stranded in floodwaters or have taken refuge in shelters. The floodwaters still haven’t completely receded from the rural areas. Due to the severity of the floods, a large portion of the relief sent from across the country has gone to help the flood-affected people in Feni.

The livestock sector in the districts of Feni, Noakhali, and Cumilla has faced massive losses. According to the livestock departments in these three districts, 56,349 cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep have died.

In Feni alone, 55,254 animals have died. This includes 38,731 cows and 359 buffaloes. Additionally, 15,558 goats and 606 sheep have died. The total financial loss amounts to 166.93 million BDT.

In Noakhali, 167 cows, 79 buffaloes, 209 goats, and 427 sheep have died, with a financial loss of 36.26 million BDT.

In Cumilla, 35 cows, three buffaloes, 171 goats, and seven sheep have died.

‘YUSUF SWEPT AWAY TRYING TO SAVE HIS COWS’

Like Jahangir and Arif, hundreds of farmers from Feni Sadar Upazila, such as Abdul Hai from Sonapur village and Mosharraf Hossain from Fatehpur village, have lost their cows in the floods, according to the Upazila Livestock Department.

Feni Sadar Upazila Livestock Officer Md Shahidul Islam Khokon said 38,350 cows were affected by the flooding in Sadar Upazila, and as of Sunday afternoon, 25,937 of them had died.

The number continues to rise every day.

“Among the 56 affected buffaloes, 11 have died. Out of 16,078 affected goats, 9,647 have perished. Of the over 100 affected sheep, 60 have died,” he added.

He explained, “Even though the floodwaters have receded, livestock are continuously dying due to waterborne diseases, and the number is increasing daily. This is alarming. We are regularly advising farmers.”

A livestock farm submerged during the fierce flooding that recently devastated the northeast part of the country.

After Sadar, the most significant losses occurred in Fulgazi and Parshuram Upazilas. In Fulgazi alone, 7,000 cows have died, while in Parshuram, the number stands at 3,228.

Shahid, a former member of Darbarpur Union in Fulgazi Upazila, told journalists that Mohammad Yusuf from Darbarpur village owned four cows. As the floodwaters began to rise, he managed to move three of the cows to higher ground. When he returned for the fourth cow, the water had risen significantly.

“At that time, the current was extremely strong. One of the cows was swept away by the current. The cows were his only means of survival. Seeing one of them being carried away, he couldn’t stay still. He tried to save the cow by swimming after it, but unfortunately, he was also swept away by the floodwaters.”

Four days later, Yusuf’s body was found downstream, Shahid added.

Jamila Akter from Fatehpur village in Munshihat Union, Fulgazi Upazila, said that although she and her family survived the floods, she couldn’t save her two cows. As the floodwaters rapidly rose, she took shelter in a local madrasa. However, the water levels were too high to bring the cows out of the house, and they drowned.

Alam Mia from North Palpara in the same union recounted that as the floodwaters rose, he tied his only cow to a nearby building and took his family to a shelter. When he returned home after the water receded, he found the cow dead in the same place.

Feni District Livestock Officer Md Mozammel Haque said that 249,388 cows were affected by the floods across six upazilas. A total of 3,022 farms have been affected.

He added that the livestock affected by the floods urgently need medical care and vaccinations. The livestock department is actively monitoring all farms and providing necessary advice to farmers.

Cattle stuck at a livestock farm submerged during the fierce flooding that recently devastated the northeast part of the country.

NAZMA’S LOAN WORRIES AFTER LOSING 10 COWS

Nazma Akter from Eklaspur village in Begumganj Upazila, Noakhali, started a cattle farm to support her family. Initially, the business was profitable, so she expanded her farm by taking out loans. She had over 50 cows on her farm. However, floodwaters submerged the farm, and for nearly 20 days, there was three feet of water in it.

Nazma said, “I lost ten cows, resulting in a loss of over one million taka. I had expanded my farm with loans from banks and NGOs. Now, I’m deeply worried about repaying the money. It’s becoming extremely difficult for me.”

She appealed for government assistance, stating, “If the government doesn’t help in this situation, I will have to shut down my farm.”

Mamun Chowdhury, a cattle farmer from Al Amin Bazar in Subarnachar Upazila, reported similar losses. He had over 100 cows and 50 goats on his farm, of which one cow and four goats died.

According to Abul Kalam Azad, the district livestock officer, there are 2,621 livestock farms in Noakhali, housing a total of 98,244 animals. Among them, 69,377 cows, 3,701 buffaloes, 7,117 sheep, and 27,407 goats were affected.

Sheep have suffered the most deaths, with 427 losses. Additionally, 167 cows, 79 buffaloes, and 209 goats have died. The total financial loss is estimated at Tk 36.26 million.

In addition, 599.67 tons of animal feed have been spoiled, causing a loss of Tk 15.50 million. Around 2,489 tons of hay, worth Tk 18.86 million, and 3,297 tons of grass, valued at Tk 19.36 million, have also been destroyed.

Abul Kalam added, “Many farms in several unions are still underwater, making it impossible to inspect them. Once the water recedes, the full extent of the losses will be determined. We are in contact with the livestock department to assist the affected farmers.”

Buffaloes graze in an open area at a shelter after the recent devastating floods that swept through northeast Bangladesh.

CAMPUS OPEN FOR CATTLE, BUFFALO FEED

Farmers in Noakhali are facing difficulties with their livestock as the flooding has destroyed grazing lands, making it difficult for farmers to feed their animals. Collecting hay has also become a challenge.

In such a situation, the campus of Noakhali Science and Technology University has been opened up to provide shelter and food for the livestock.

Farmers are able to keep their cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep safely on the campus. The natural grass growing on the university’s sports field and other elevated areas is being used to feed the animals.

Abdul Hakim, assistant registrar of the Security Department of Noakhali Science and Technology University, said: “There are no dry places in the vast char areas, nor is there any grass. There is no supply of dry hay. Although some people had haystacks at home, the floods have made it impossible to access enough hay. So, the university has made this decision to assist the farmers by opening up the campus.”

4,000 FARMERS HIT IN CUMILLA

Cumilla District Livestock Officer Chandan Kumar Poddar said the flooding has affected more than 4,000 livestock farms in the district, impacting a total of 209,000 types of livestock.

Among these are 120,000 cows, 16 buffaloes, 30,000 goats, and 700 sheep. Of these, 35 cows, three buffaloes, 171 goats, and seven sheep have died.

In addition, 2,218 poultry farms have suffered losses, with 1,366,000 ducks and chickens affected. Out of these, over 1,022,000 chickens and more than 2,000 ducks have died.

This is not the final list; it has been prepared as a preliminary estimate. The full extent of the damage will be known once the floodwaters recede, Poddar added.

Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Khandaker Md Mushfiqur Rahman said, “The rehabilitation process for those affected by the floods will continue. We are providing all kinds of assistance to the flood victims from the administration’s side.”