Dhaka, May 3 -- As floodwaters swallow thousands of hectares of Boro paddy in Kishoreganj, farmers say they are facing a second crisis: a crippling shortage of labour that has driven daily wages to record highs.

Heavy rainfall and upstream runoff have submerged 9,045 hectares of cropland as of Sunday, affecting over 32,000 farmers, according to Sadikur Rahman, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

While 2,000 hectares were lost in just the last 24 hours, those with standing crops find themselves unable to bring in the harvest.

The sudden inundation has created a desperate scramble for help, pushing labour costs beyond the reach of most small-scale cultivators.

Farmers in hard-hit Upazilas like Mithamoin an...