Almost three months after one of the worst floods in recent memory, 1,718 families in Feni are still grappling with the aftermath.
Having lost everything to the devastating flood, these families are forced to live in temporary shelters, struggling to rebuild their homes and lives.
In August, a catastrophic flood swept through Feni, destroying 1,718 homes completely and partially damaging another 6,941. Although two months and 24 days have passed since the disaster, relief efforts have been insufficient, victims say.
According to District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Md. Mahbub Alam, “For partially damaged homes, we have received 400 bundles of corrugated iron sheets and 12 lakh taka, which have been distributed to nearly 150 families.”
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Some organisations, including the Bangladesh Army and UNDP have assisted these families, but the need remains overwhelming.
The flood caused widespread destruction across Feni, with complete devastation reported in the following areas:
Sadar Upazila: 675 houses
Fulgazi Upazila: 295 houses
Chagolnaiya Upazila: 293 houses
Parshuram Upazila: 333 houses
Sonagazi Upazila: 37 houses
Daganbhuna Upazila: 85 houses
Additionally, partial damages were reported in the following areas:
Sadar Upazila: 3,206 houses
Parshuram: 333 houses
Chagolnaiya: 313 houses
Daganbhuna: 982 houses
Sonagazi: 741 houses
Fulgazi: 1,349 houses
For families with partially damaged homes, the Bangladesh Army has distributed 4 bundles of corrugated iron sheets per family and provided a total of Tk 6.5 lakh in cash to 157 families. The Army, with assistance from the Navy, has also repaired 100 houses in Fulgazi.
In addition, UNDP is distributing Tk 10 crore 35 lakh to repair the homes of 3,000 affected families. Other organizations, including BDRCS, Mastul Foundation, RIC, and YPSA, have also contributed with materials and financial aid.
Amid this devastation, stories of hardship continue to unfold. Khokon Mia, an auto-rickshaw driver from Dakkhin Jagatpur village in Fulgazi upazila, lost everything to the flood, including his home. With nowhere to go, he now lives with his wife and children in a small room of a Water Development Board irrigation scheme. "Everything feels like a nightmare," said Khokon.
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“One flood has left me completely destitute. I couldn’t save anything. I had to take shelter with my wife and three young children. It’s been a month with no work. I don’t know how to rebuild my house. Three months have passed since the flood, and yet I have not seen any government initiative for our rehabilitation,” he added.
Abu Taher, from Char Chandia village in Sonagazi, also recounted the flood’s devastation: "The floodwaters have ruined everything. I barely managed to get to a shelter. When I returned home, nothing was left. I am now living with my family on the roof of my cousin's house."
Shamsunnahar, a woman in her fifties from Birinchi area in Feni Sadar upazila, is facing the same fate. "The flood took everything, and I don’t have the means to build a new house. If I receive financial aid from the government, I will be able to repair my house; otherwise, I will have to stay in the broken house. I’ve made a shelter with plastic around and broken tin on top."
The recently retired Feni Deputy Commissioner Musammat Shahina Akhter, sought urgent assistance for the affected families. "We have requested 20,000 bundles of tin and 6 crore taka from the relevant ministries for the aid of affected families," she said.