No relief for flood victims even after the floods!

As this newspaper reported yesterday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimates that around 7.6 million people who have been affected by flood are at risk of hunger and disease. Floods in the north and north-eastern parts of the country have damaged more than 600,000 homes. And with floodwater receding from 19 of the 28 districts hit by floods, various types of waterborne and skin diseases have started to spread among the affected people.

A scenario such as this is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh. Being a flood-prone country, we are well aware of certain problems that floods create. Despite that, the administration’s reaction to the recent floods has been slow. And we are yet to see it provide any medical aid to victims in many flood-hit areas. This has only aggravated the situation as many people who are suffering from different types of diseases due to floods have claimed that they have been passing their days in considerable misery in the absence of government aid, particularly in the form of medicine and treatment.

Why has aid been short in coming? And why hasn’t the administration worked more proactively to tackle the spread of such illnesses, especially given that it should already be well-accustomed to dealing with such problems? Under the existing circumstances, there is every reason to fear the outbreak of more diseases. Does the government have any plans on how to prevent that from happening?

It is bad enough that so many people have had to suffer from the devastation brought about by the floods. Now that the floodwater is receding, it is totally unacceptable to have them be left high and dry. We hope the government recognises the urgency of the situation, and actively works to ensure that food and medicine are delivered to them at the earliest. Moreover, every action necessary to stop any sort of outbreak of contagious diseases should be among its top priorities.