by Golam Rabbani

When floods come, Sharmin Akhter of Bondober Union in Roumari Upazila, Kurigram, lives in fear. Repeated floods destroy her crops. Yet every year she starts again with hope. When the harvest is good, she plans to build a better home and admit her son to school. But even last year, her onion crop was destroyed by a flash flood. However, this time she did not suffer losses like before. She had insured the crops on her 21 decimals of land—and received its benefits.

Sharmin Akhter said, “I had always heard that people get life insurance. But I heard from some local brothers that there is insurance for crops, too. At first, I couldn’t believe it. Still, with some doubt, I insured my crops. Last year, I grew onions on 21 decimals of land, and the flash flood destroyed them. I received 8,000 taka in compensation through insurance. I had a dream of sending my son to school. That dream has now come true. With that money, I admitted my son to school. This year I planted Aman paddy on 21 decimals of land. I think farmers across the country should come under agricultural insurance.”

Meghna Khatun is a resident of Astamir Char in Chilmari Upazila. She lost everything due to erosion from the Teesta River. After that, she found shelter in Astamir Char. Working hard from dawn to dusk, she grew golden crops on the char. But every year, natural disasters destroyed her rice, jute, or maize. Despite backbreaking work, her financial condition did not improve. Every year, a portion of her crops would be lost due to flash floods or severe drought.

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