The flood situation in Bangladesh due to upstream water from India poses a serious threat to the targeted production of Aus and Aman crops this year.

Floodwaters have been inundating fresh areas almost daily for the past several days as major rivers were still flowing above danger mark at 13 points.

Aman and Aus are the two major sources for the staple after Boro season.

Aman makes up 37-38 per cent and Aus 7.0-8.0 per cent of the total rice output in Bangladesh.

After getting a handsome Boro crop, the government has set an ambitious target of 15.6-million tonnes of Aman on 5.89-million hectares of land this season (June to December).

Aus has also been targeted to grow on 1.32-million hectares to produce 3.64-million tonnes during the April-September period.

Last year, Aus output was 3.0-million tonnes on 1.13-million tonnes.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE)'s monitoring unit said farmers brought almost 1.326-million hectares under Aus farming as of June 28.

But insiders said the ongoing flooding has been threatening the government's production targets.

If flood continues for two more weeks, they said, it would definitely cause severe damage to the standing Aus crop and Aman seedbeds.

The Teesta, Dharla and Ghaghot have crossed danger mark, damaging more than 18,000 hectares of standing Aus crop, vegetable and Aman seedbeds in Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Kurigram and Rangpur districts.

India opened Gazoldoba barrage on its side to release excessive water without any warning, an official at Bangladesh Water Development Board in Rangpur said.

The Jamuna has been rising to cross the danger mark in several districts, bringing disaster to croplands in Bogura, Sirajganj, Jamalpur and Tangail districts.

Water in the Padma started flowing over danger level at Goalando in Rajbari on Wednesday, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

Water was rising at 53 out of 101 points across the country the same day, it added.

The DAE primary reports said nearly 36,000 hectares of Aus and Aman seedbeds, vegetable and green chilli fields have been inundated in four districts on the banks of the Jamuna.

The DAE was preparing reports on losses in Manikganj, Rajbari, Sunamganj, Sylhet and Netrokona districts.

DAE field service wing director Dr Alhaz Uddin Ahmed said the situation might be worrying for Aus if flood prolongs for the next two to three weeks.

He said there is nothing to worry about Aman for now as plantation will continue until September.

Agrarian Research Foundation (ARF) Bangladesh chairman Prof Abdul Hameed said forecast shows monsoon will remain much active this year.

The Indian states are set to witness heavy rain this monsoon, which means the onrush of upstream water might continue, he added.

Upstream water could make longer floods which could cause damage to crops severely, apprehended Mr Hameed.

He suggested that the government talk to the Indian authorities about the unsolicited release of waters through their dams and barrages.

Mr Hameed said Aman is most vulnerable to flood considering its sowing periods.

"We have recent experience about how upstream water could damage crops which led to an all-time high rice prices in Bangladesh in September 2017," he cited.

"Any possible hamper in production might affect our food security during this pandemic," feared the researcher.

The policy-makers should be cautious about this matter and make a 5.0-million tonne strategic food bank to tackle any possible food shortage, Mr Hameed suggested.

However, rice prices have witnessed 7.0-14 per cent hike in the past two weeks during this Boro harvesting and primary trading period.

Coarse rice retailed at Tk 44-48 a kilogram, marking a 14-per cent hike in two weeks, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.