As the flood situation worsens in the northern districts, thousands of people are passing hard days amid food and drinking water shortage. Many flood-affected people have taken shelters at flood centres, embankments, roads and other places as their homes have perished under water.
The cry for relief is getting louder as the government’s relief programmes are not sufficient, claimed flood victims.
In Sirajganj, houses of some 3,430 families in almost 100 villages have been submerged. A total of 181 flood shelters have been opened in the district, said Md Akteruzzaman, district relief and rehabilitation officer (DRRO).
A portion of an embankment was eroded in Rautara village of Shahzadpur upazila and an earthen road was washed away in Malshapara area in Sadar upazila by the flood.
The Jamuna was flowing 37cm above the danger level at Kazipur point yesterday morning, according to the water development board.
“I along with my family are passing days under the open sky as our home has been flooded. We’re facing a shortage of food and drinking water,” said Maruf Hossain, a resident of Brammangacha village in Shahzadpur upazila.
The district administration has allocated 140 metric tonnes of rice for the flood victims.
In Kurigram and Lalmonirhat, the rivers Brahmaputra and Dharla were flowing above danger level, inundating a vast area.
Farmer Abdul Hamid (60), drowned in flood water at Kisamat Chandrapur village in Lalmonirhat’s Aditmari upazila.
“We’ve taken shelter on the road and have been staying in a polythene-wrapped hut ever since my house went under water. My cattle also perished in the flood,” said Ahela Bewa (65), a resident of Char Jatrapur area in Kurigram Sadar upazila.
Another victim, Noor Mohammad (58), of the same area said, “The fence and furniture of my house have washed away. My cattle are facing an acute crisis of fodder.”
Rikta Begum (30), of Sardob village in Kurigram Sadar upazila, said, “Our entire village has been flooded, still we haven’t received any assistance from the government.”
Kurigram’s DRRO Abdul Hye Sarker said the district administration has allocated 295 tonnes of rice, Tk 14.50 cash, and 1,000 packets of dry food for flood victims.
In Bogura, around 58,000 people of Sariakandi upazila and Sonatala upazila have been marooned as the Jamuna continues swelling.
Some 31 primary schools have been shut in the two upazilas, as the schools’ premises have gone under water, said DRRO Golam Kibria. The river was flowing 53 cm above the danger level at the Mathurapara point Sariakandi yesterday afternoon, said WDB officials.
Rina Begum, a flood victim of Dakatmara char under Sariakandi upazila said, “We have been stuck on a small piece of land with our cattle, three children and other family members for the last five days.”
“We are very worried about our children as they are so little. We are trying hard to shift them to a safe place,” she said.
Mazeda Begum of the Kuripara char in the same upazila said, “We have no food and cannot cook since the flood water entered our home on Sunday night.”
Anis Mollah of the Chanpochar char of the same upazila said, “We are marooned for the last six days and are yet to receive any flood relief.”
However, the DRRO Golam Kibria said they have allocated 40 tonnes of rice for the district’s flood victims.
In Rangpur, the flood situation keeps getting worse as the water level of the region’s major rivers is rapidly increasing. Several thousand people have been stranded due to the flood.
[Our correspondents from Pabna, Lalmonirhat, Bogura and Rangpur contributed to this report]