Heavy winter rainfall, triggered by the westerly low, has caused severe damage to wheat, maize, potato, vegetable and spice fields in the last two days in parts of the country.
The farmers, who planted early summer vegetables, seasonal potato and wheat, witnessed substantial losses as market experts are predicting a rise in prices of these produce in the coming weeks.
Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute chief scientific officer Dr Md Abdul Hakim said rain with heavy winds severely damaged maize, wheat and potato fields in Dinajpur and Rangpur regions.
Standing wheat and maize plants have shuddered in many places in Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Rangpur districts, the key wheat and maize growers.
"We are assessing the losses which will be public within a short period," he told the FE.
The Met office says Khulna witnessed the highest rainfall in 24 hours between February 04 and 05 as recorded 69 millimetre (mm), Rangpur 55 mm, Dinajpur 52 mm, Nilphamari 35 mm, Rajshahi 35 mm, Barishal 33 mm.
Potato and vegetable farmers in Rangpur, Dinajpur, Bogura and Rajshahi regions fell into great trouble due to inundation in many places.
Julhas Hossain, a trader-cum-farmer at Khansama in Dinajpur, told the FE that rainwater was still in his potato field which could cause cold-related diseases.
He was expecting to start harvest in late February.
"But water-logging might force many ones to start collecting premature potatoes," Mr Hossain said.
Vegetable farmers in Khulna division experienced a nightmare in the one-and-a-half-day's rain.
Sharifur Rahman Atik, a Dumuria-based farmer, said his one bigha land of ridge gourd, sponge gourd and cucumber witnessed 50-60 per cent damage due to heavy rain with cold wind.
Mr Atik said he could make a sale of Tk 90,000. "But it would be less than half of my expectation for the late winter rain."
DAE additional deputy director (tubers, vegetable and spices) Dr Shamim Ahmed says rain in the Bangla month of Magh (mid-January to mid-February) is helpful for paddy and some other crops.
"The latest rain might damage tuber crops like potato amid inundation, but the exact data could be delivered after getting field service reports on Sunday."
The country's lowest minimum temperature was measured at 11.1 degrees Celsius in Panchagarh on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Met office said rain or thunder showers might occur at one or two places over Rangpur, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions.
Weather might remain mainly dry with partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country, it added.
Moderate to thick fog might occur over north-western part, river basins and at places elsewhere over the country from midnight until morning.
Night temperature might fall by 2-4°C and day temperature rise by 1-2°C over the country while a mild cold wave may sweep at places over Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions.
