Floods destroy crops worth $156m in Bangladesh

DHAKA: The loss of crops due to floods in Bangladesh has been put at 13.23 billion taka (about 156.4 million U.S. dollars).
Bangladeshi Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque told journalists on Wednesday that crops on 1.58 lakh hectares of land in 37 districts has been destroyed fully or partially, adding so far floods has hit Bangladesh for three times this year.
At least 14 districts were affected by flooding between June 25 and July 9 in the first phase when some 343,957 farmers were affected and crops worth about 3.49 billion taka damaged.
According to the minister, 37 districts were hit by flooding between July 11 and Aug. 12 again.
In the second and third phases, he said some 929,194 farmers were affected and crops worth about 9.74 billion taka damaged.
Razzaque said they have already started implementing a rehabilitation program for 239,631 farmers in the flood hit districts. –Agenices