[Beautiful natural beauty like this is available during the flood in Bangladesh]
Flood means destruction, flood means loss of lives and other valuable things. As a low lying country, Bangladesh faces flood every year. Sometimes it becomes very much destructive and devastating. In recent history, floods in 1988 and in 1998 were two severe floods in the country. Though flood is destructive in all the ways, during a visit to my village Chapri last August 2020, I tried to find out the opposite scene of the flood. In this post, I will try to present a flood in a different way.
[Aerial view of floodwater everywhere]
Flood makes the land more fertile:
Still now, Bangladesh hugely depends on agriculture to produce rice (the staple food), wheat, corn, vegetable, and cash crops. We have a limited amount of cultivable land. So farmers try to use the land again and again to grow more crops one after another. The overuse of the same land reduces the productivity of the land that leads to less production. But flood comes as a blessing to the land. During floods, the land goes underwater for around 2-3 months (sometimes more like this year). The land gets rest to recover itself with the sediments brought by the flood. After the flood, the productivity of land increases, and farmers get more rice or wheat. Moreover, as flood makes the soil more fertile so farmers do not use more chemical fertilizer in the land that is good for the environment. Some other plants e.g Shaluk are grown in water during flood only
Fishing:
[Fishing nets in the floodwater. You can see some fishing nets in the cover photo also]
During the flood, farmers do not have many things to do because they cannot cultivate their lands. This time they spend most of the time fishing. With regular fishermen, many new and amateur fishermen go to flooded fields to catch fish. Various kinds of rare fish are found during flood time which is not possible to grow in the pond or in fisheries. Sometimes catching fish become so huge that they sell them to the village market, they also dry much fish, during this time, and eat them during other time of the year. Sometimes fishing becomes like a festival. Sudden floods may wash away the ponds or fisheries and the escaped fishes are caught by others in the open flooded field. What is good for one may be harmful to others!!! I am planning to make a separate post on fishing during the flood in Bangladesh. Stay with me.
Visiting relatives:
[Going to relativeâ house by boat]
Farmers and their family members spend a very busy time cultivating and harvesting. During flood, they become jobless and spend huge idle time. During this time, they started visiting the houses of their relatives who live in other places. Visitors come to their house also. Visiting the relatives give them enormous pleasures and happiness. The boat becomes a major way of transport to visit relatives. This time housewives go to their parentsâ home to spend several days with them, this tradition is known as Naior or āĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻāĻ° in Bangla. Flood strengthens our family bondings by visiting relatives and friends. People also try to help their needy relatives as much as possible during this odd period of the year.
Tourism:
[The night view of Monpura, a tourist spot in our village, during 2020 flood]
[Reflection of blue sky on floodwater may attract tourists to visit the flooded area]
During flood, water-based tourism flourished in the country that creates many temporary jobs for the local people. During flood, people travel more to Haor areas instead of the sea beach area. Bangladesh has some famous Haors where thousands of tourists visit during this time. Nikli Haor, Hakluki Haor, Tanguar Haor are some worth mentioning haros in Bangladesh. People also gather in the local flooded areas in the afternoon and spend time there with their family members and relatives. Earlier people in Bangladesh traveled during winter (Nov. to Feb.) only. But now they start traveling from late June to early March. Flood has created a new traveling season for us that merges with winter and gives us long traveling time. It has become a new source of income for the workless villagers. This new traveling season flows cash to the flood-affected people as financial support to them for their next cultivation season. Sometimes nice fireworks are seen to attract the tourists.
Water sports and cultural activities:
[Top-left: Waterbased event, Top-right: prize-giving ceremony at the end and Bottom: villagers enjoying waterbased events]
During flood time young villagers arrange various kinds of water-based sports. Boat racing and raft made with banana trees are the most popular. Other traditional water-based sports are arranged. Swimming and taking bath in the open flooded water is equally popular with the boys and girls of the village. They go to the Haor, river, and beel and take bath as a group. They play some water-based games during group bathing. Children also take part in bathing with them. Various kinds of traditional musical events are held at night. Musicians are hired to sing traditional popular songs.
[Kids, girls, and boys are taking bath in the floodwater]
Natural beauties:
[Ducks are floating with happiness!! in the open water of flood]
From the beginning of the rainy season, it rains at a regular interval. Rainwater goes down Haor, beel or river and carries soil. So, water at the beginning of the flood is dirty and unclean. With the passing of time the silt carried by the rainwater goes down and the upper water becomes clean and light blue. During this time sky becomes clear and blue. So it creates a nice blue atmosphere all over the flooded area. You can see floating ducks, Pankouri, Kingfisher, heron, and many other birds catching and eating fish. Waterfalls in the hilly areas of the north-east and south-east part of the country pour water in full speed and attract a huge number of tourist. After the rain trees become very fresh and tender green.
[Reflection of the Sunset in the floodwater]
Whatever I have written above, a flood is destructive and creates problems for all the people of the affected areas. I just try to see and show a different view of the floods in Bangladesh which may not be the same to other countries. Thanks a lot for your huge patience to read this extra-long post. Regards.
. Though your photos are more attractive than mine. I am trying and learning to take better photos. Regards.