S Dilip Roy

In the lowlands of northern Bangladesh, where the Brahmaputra weaves its ancient path and songs echo across open fields, a quiet fight to preserve cultural memory is underway.

A 12-metre stretch of an under-construction embankment along the Dudhkumar river at Islampur village under Kurigram’s Bhurungamari upazila has yet to be repaired after it collapsed two weeks ago, leaving local residents at risk of further erosion in monsoon.

Around 6 lakh agrarian families in this region are facing financial uncertainties ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

Spark allegations of price manipulation

Dashahara Mela — a traditional fair with a 150-year legacy held

Shukherbati in Kurigram’s Roumari upazila stands on the verge of extinction as the Brahmaputra continues to erode its banks with growing ferocity.

"Floods don't just take our crops, they take our peace, our dignity"

“The sun rises, but the light of life seems to be stuck at the gate of the Tinbigha Corridor.”

Around 20,000 residents of 11 villages under Kurigram’s Roumari upazila have been cut off from the upazila headquarters after a wooden bridge over the Jinjiram river collapsed last week due to the pressure of rising waters.

Many farmers are hopeful that this year's Eid will bring better profits and long-awaited relief

The monsoon has yet to arrive in full swing, but erosion along the Teesta and Dharla rivers has already taken a serious turn in Rangpur region, threatening thousands of families living along the riverbanks.

Relentless rainfall over the last one week left vast stretches of cropland submerged across Rangpur region, causing severe disruption to maize and paddy harvest. While the window for safe harvesting is rapidly closing, farmers are hoping for improvement in weather.

Maize cultivation remains a profitable venture for farmers, although many in districts where production is concentrated have voiced concerns over a drop in market prices this season amid a rise in production costs.

The Brahmaputra river erosion has severely affected four villages in Roumari upazila of Kurigram.

Farmers in char areas are happy with the pumpkin production on the sandy chars of the Teesta riverbed. However, they are disappointed as prices have fallen compared to last year. Due to an urgent need for cash, char farmers are being forced to sell pumpkins at low prices.

The company shut its Lalmonirhat district office in 2014, leaving policyholders unable to make deposits

Over the past 15 years, farmers in Rangpur have transformed their agricultural practices by shifting from reliance on imported seeds to supplying homegrown ones across the greater northern region and other parts of the country. 

While the government has fixed the rate for irrigation water supply from the Teesta Irrigation Project at Tk 480 per acre throughout the year, farmers are reportedly paying Tk 1,000.

For years, residents of Baura in Lalmonirhat’s Patgram upazila had to rely on a bamboo bridge to cross the Saniajan river -- a structure that was frequently damaged during the rainy season, forcing villagers to use boats or take long detours.

Ignoring a government ban, organised groups are allegedly extracting stones from the Dharla, Saniajan, and Singimari rivers, causing severe environmental damage in Lalmonirhat’s Patgram upazila.