Faridpur, July 30 -- Weeks of worry over water scarcity have given way to a renewed hope, as timely monsoon rains ease retting woes and raise prospects for a bumper jute harvest in Bangladesh's jute heartland.

This season, more than 86,500 hectares of land in the district have been brought under jute cultivation. Agricultural officials now expect production to surpass two lakh metric tonnes, with a market value exceeding Tk 2,000 crore.

Faridpur, a central district with an agriculture-based economy, has recorded a relatively good yield this season despite soaring production costs.

Farmers note that expenses have multiplied, especially due to the absence of early rainfall, which forced many to depend on irrigation to sustain their crops...