Dhaka, July 21 -- Around 500 acres of cropland have been submerged in Sharsha upazila of Jashore due to a sharp rise in the Ichamati River's water level following days of heavy rainfall.

Local farmers reported that low-lying agricultural lands in Rudrapur, Goga, Sharsha, Bahadurpur, Putkhali, Bagachra, Navaron, and parts of Shyamlagachhi, along with most villages in Benapole, are underwater-severely affecting Aman paddy cultivation.

They said annual waterlogging during the monsoon has become a recurring crisis, mainly because the Ichamati River routinely overflows. Farmers blamed poor drainage infrastructure and the lack of timely dredging at the river's mouth for the prolonged stagnation.

"In areas like Thengamari and Awali Beel, wate...