Prices of vegetables on the market already shot up at the beginning of Ramadan and vegetable traders are blaming the incessant rainfall for the geometric hike.

The recent rainfall brought by the low formed over the Bay of Bengal also inundated 2.5 lakh hectares of Aman fields out of 14 lakh hectares in coastal districts. Most of the paddies on those fields will perish if the water level does not recede in a day or two.

However, after a drought like situation this year, the rainfall was a blessing for Aman paddies in the rest of the regions of the country, sources in the field survey wing of Agricultural Extension Department (AED) said.

"We are afraid that all vegetables on 13,000 hectares of land will be totally ruined. Only some green chillis and okras might not be destroyed," said Abdul Bari, director of the field survey wing of AED.

Inundation of vegetable fields might affect the vegetable market in other regions also.

The low over the bay brought a deadly storm in the coastal districts capsizing around five hundred trawlers and boats, and rendering over 1000 fishermen missing.

The inundated Aman fields are situated in Khulna, Cox's Bazar, Patuakhali, Barisal, Satkhira, Barguna, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Chittagong, Bhola, Noakhali, Feni, Bagerhat, Chandpur and Rajshahi.

"Aman paddies can survive seven days of inundation. As the water level on the fields is receding, we hope that most of the paddies will remain unharmed," said Abdul Bari.

Amid a shortfall of rain a drought like situation was prevailing in the country preceding the storm, forcing the farmers, mostly of the northern region, to spend a lot of money for irrigation. The recent rainfall was a blessing for the farmers of the northern region, agriculture experts said.

However, our correspondents from different coastal districts report that a major portion of Aman paddies in their districts was ruined due to inundation.