Floods sweeping two-thirds of Bangladesh in July-September 1998 destroyed over four million tonnes of rice in the fields. The deluge killed more than 1,500 people and caused $4.3 billion worth of overalleconomic losses. Bangladesh made huge imports and received food donations from overseas trying to make up the immediate shortfall, agriculture officials said. They said this year's target for Boro production was 8.3 million tonnes against 8.1 million in the previous year.

"But the drought may hamper efforts to achieve the target," said Ahmed, who is also an adviser to the agriculture ministry. "If there is no rain within a couple of days the Boro harvest may fall to 7.7 million tonnes. A longer rainlessness would mean a much lower yield," he said. Meteorologist Sujit Kumar Sharma said that there was a strong possibility of rain falling this weekend. "We are expecting rain at least in Dhaka and (northern) Rajshahi division," he added. A further food loss following the floods would have a serious impact on Bangladesh's aid-dependent economy, Ahmed said. The country is likely to attain the lowest growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1998-99.