flood
Flood situation worsens in parts of Sylhet
The flood situation in some parts of Sylhet has worsened, with the rise in water levels of the Kushiara river in the past 48 hours, officials have said.
According to the local Water Development Board, the Kushiara was flowing above the danger level at various points on Friday morning.
Zakiganj, Beanibazar, Gopalganj, Phenchuganj, Osmaninagar, Biswanath, South Surma of Sylhet, Borolekha, Kulaura, Rajnagar, Juri, and Jagannathpur of Sunamganj have been inundated by the waters of the Kushiara.
Read: Flood situation in 6 Sylhet upazilas takes a turn for the worse
On the other hand, flood waters have receded in many areas of the district, including Sylhet city, officials said.
Although the water levels in the Surma river have decreased in the last four days, it was still flowing above the danger mark till Friday morning.
Sylhet City Corporation chief engineer Nur Azizur Rahman said that relief materials have been distributed among the flood-hit people. "Ward councillors are coordinating the distribution."
Flood situation improves in Kurigram
Water levels in the flood-hit Kurigram district have started receding, officials said on Friday.
While the Teesta and the Dharla are flowing below the danger mark, the Brahmaputra is still flowing at 5cm above the red level at Chilmari point, according to the Kurigram Water Development Board.
With floodwaters receding, the miseries of the residents of the char areas in the district have increased.
Read: A week on, flood-hit people of Kurigram cry for relief
According to district administration sources, 328 educational institutions have been shut for a week due to the ongoing floods.
Besides, crops on 15,800 hectares of land have been damaged due to the floods.
In many areas, the flood survivors are crying for relief. Apart from facing food crisis, they need pure drinking water, fuel and fodder.
Many in remote areas have complained of not getting relief. People's representatives said it was not possible to reach everyone as relief was not commensurate with the demand.
Read: Sufferings rise in flood-hit Kurigram
Sadar Upazila Panchgachhi UP chairman Abdul Baten said that at least 5,000 poor families in his union were affected by the floods, "but so far, they have got nine metric tonnes of rice as relief. “Only 900 families can be provided with 10 kgs of rice.”
However, Kurigram deputy commissioner Mohammad Rezaul Karim claimed there was adequate relief for the flood survivors. "Everyone will get relief in phases."
Flood claims 24 lives in 24 hrs; Death toll now 68
A total of 24 people have died due to flood in different parts of the country in 24 hours till Thursday morning, raising the total fatalities to 68.
Of them, 23 are from Sylhet division alone, according to the Directorate general of Health services (DGHS).
Among the deceased, 20 people have died by drowning in floodwater, two died in lightning strike and one in diarrhoea.
Also read: A week on, flood-hit people of Kurigram cry for relief
The deaths were recorded from May 17 to June 23.
Among a total of 185 flood-affected upazilas, 29 upazilas are in Sylhet division, 16 in Rangpur division, 19 in Mymensingh division and one in Chattogram division.
Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and Kurigram are the worst-hit districts where 13, 11, 10 and 9 upazilas were affected by flood respectively.
Also read: Cellular coverage restored at 1,166 sites in flood-hit districts
A total of 872 flood shelters have been opened, while 2,006 medical teams are working to provide various health services to the flood-affected people.
Govt indulges in celebration keeping flood victims unfed, alleges Fakhrul
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday alleged that the government is indulging in the celebration of the Padma Bridge inauguration by keeping the lakhs of flood victims in the country’s northeastern region hungry.
“Our people are starving and not getting treatment in the flood-affected areas, but they (govt) are occupied with Padma Bridge inauguration festival,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks while distributing relief materials on the premises of Khazar Mokam High School in Sylhet’s Jaintiapur Upazila among the flood-affected people.
Also read: BNP turns down invitation to join Padma Bridge opening programme
Fakhrul claimed that the government allocated only Tk 60 lakh for 30 lakh flood victims in the Sylhet region while hundreds of crores of taka are being spent on the inauguration programme of the Padma Bridge.
He also said the government is arranging amusement programmes for the inauguration on Saturday while people are dying amid lack of food and relief materials in the flood-hit areas
“People are being washed away by the floods, not getting food and treatment. But the government has no attention to it. Around Tk 9 crores have been spent on making 90 toilets at Mawa for the opening programme of the bridge. If the money was given to the flood victims of Sylhet then people would not suffer so much,” the BNP leader observed.
Fakhrul together with BNP standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku reached Sylhet from Dhaka by road at noon to witness the flood situation and distribute relief materials among the affected people.
Also read: Flood victims left in the lurch: Fakhrul
They also offered ziarat at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) before visiting the flood-hit areas.
Stating that people in Sylhet and Sunamganj are crying for relief materials to survive, the BNP leader said the government has failed to stand by the flood-hit people. “While lakhs of people are crying out for relief, the Prime Minister has completed her duty by providing relief to a few only.”
Fakhrul recalled that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia during her government in 2004 walked door-to-door and ensured relief materials at people’s doorsteps. “But the current Prime Minister visited the flood-hit area by helicopter."
“The ruling party is not standing beside the flood victims in this difficult time. Even, the Prime Minister arrived in Sylhet by helicopter and had a meeting at the Circuit House with senior officials and ministers and MPs. She only gave seven people seven packets as eyewash during her visit,” he said.
The BNP leader said the ruling party MPs are also not going to the flood victims as they are not elected with their votes. “In fact, Awami League has no relation with people.”
He alleged that Awami League taking mega projects for corruption and plundering, but it does not take any project for the welfare of the country's people.
The BNP leader said the government has snatched people's voting and other rights by 'usurping' power.
He said their party will not join any other election if it is not held under a non-party neutral government. “Just like a fox can’t be given the charge of taking care of a chicken, Sheikh Hasina can’t be given the responsibility for holding an election under her.”
Fakhrul said BNP leaders and activists to get ready for waging a movement to resist the current regime and restore people’s voting rights.
Govt working to restore telecommunication in flood-hit areas
The government is working to restore the telecommunication network in the flood-affected areas of the northeast districts of the country.
A total of 1,255 sites of Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, and Teletalk have been reactivated out of 2,008 damaged sites due to flood water. Works are underway to activate the rest 753 affected sites, said a press release of the Post and Telecommunication Ministry on Wednesday.
Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited has been working to set up 42 VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) under its own management and Bangladesh Army through Bangabandhu Satellite to restore telecommunication systems including the internet in the flood-affected districts.
Bangladesh Army has already installed six VSAT hubs at Sylhet High-Tech Park, Sunamganj deputy commissioner’s office, Sunamganj circuit house office, Gobindaganj, Duara Bazar, and Dirai. Two more VSAT hub installations will be completed on Wednesday in Jaintapur and Gowainghat upazilas.
Read: Rail communication with Sylhet snapped amid flood
Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited has set up VSAT at various places in Sylhet, Sunamganj, and Netrokona.
Flood death toll climbs to 42: DGHS
The death toll from flood in different parts of the country including the northeastern region has reached 42 with the report of six more deaths in the past 24 hours till Wednesday morning, said Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The deaths were recorded between May 17 to June 22, it said.
The fatalities occurred due to lightning strikes, diarrhoea, skin diseases, snakebite, electrocution, landslides and drowning.
Read: Govt working to restore telecommunication in flood-hit areas
US to provide emergency flood relief for people in northern Bangladesh:Envoy
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing over Tk 2.3 crore ($244,680) of emergency funding to deliver critical relief to families and communities hit hardest by floods.The emergency support is coming in response to record-level rainfall and catastrophic flooding across areas of northern Bangladesh.
Read: Flood claims 22 lives in Sylhet division in 7 days, says divisional health director“Some of these areas have not seen floodwaters like this for over 120 years. The United States continues to stand by the government and the people of Bangladesh during these challenging times and will support our partners on the ground to deliver crucial assistance to people in areas most affected by the deluge,” said U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Helen LaFave on Wednesday.
Flood damages Aush paddy on 56,000 hectares of land
Aush paddy on about 56,000 hectares of land in the country has been damaged by the ongoing flood triggered by incessant showers, said Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Tuesday.
“If the floods do not last long, it is possible to recoup the losses caused so far. That’s why extensive preparations have already been taken,” he told reporters after a meeting with Maldives High Commissioner Shiruzimath Sameer at the Secretariat.
Also read:Flood won’t create food crisis: Minister
Razzaque said Aush paddy on 22,000 hectares of land in Sunamganj and Sylhet were damaged by floodwater. Flood has slumbered different areas in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari and Moulvibazar districts.
Besides, vegetables, sesame, nuts etc. have been damaged, he added.
Flood claims 22 lives in Sylhet division in 7 days, says divisional health director
Twenty-two people have died in recent floods in Sylhet division since June 15, said Divisional Health Director Himangshu Lal Roy on Tuesday.
“We have received information that 22 people have died in Sylhet division. Of them, 14 died in Sylhet district, three in Moulvibazar district and five in Sunamganj district,” he told UNB.
Also read: Woman dies as boat sinks in Netrokona floodwater
Among them, bodies of two people-a woman and her son- were recovered three days after they drowned in floodwater in Jointapur upazila of the district on Tuesday, he said.
The fatalities occurred due to lightning strikes, snakebite, electrocution, landslides and drowning during the period, said Himangshu.
According to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) a total of 36 people have died in the recent flood across the country from May 17 to June 21.
Of the deceased, five people died in Mymensingh district, four in Netrokona, three each in Jamalpur and Sherpur districts under Mymensingh division, one in Lalmonirhat, two in Kurigram under Rangpur division, 10 in Sylhet, five in Sunamganj and three in Moulvibazar district under Sylhet division, it said.
Flood situation worsens in Sylhet
The overall flood situation in Sylhet deteriorated further on Tuesday due to the swelling of the Kushiara river caused by incessant showers over the last three days, rendering thousand of people homeless.
According to the Water Development Board, the Kushiara was flowing 186cm above the danger level at Amalshid point, 67cm above the danger level at Sheula point, and 8cm above the red mark at Fenchuganj point.
Besides, the Surma river was flowing above the danger mark at all points.
The flood situation in six upazilas of the district -- Jakiganj, Balaganj, Beanibazar, Osmaninagar, Golapganj and Fenchuganj -- has also turned grim due to the swelling of the Kushiara.
Read: Flood situation worsens in Kurigram, over 2 lakh affected
In fact, 60 percent area of Fenchuganj upazila has been flooded while the road link from Sadar upazila to Beanibazar upazila of the district remained snapped.
Balaganj-Khasrupur and Fenchuganj-Balaganj roads are also under water, officials said.
Many new areas of the six upazilas have also been flooded due to the rise in the water level of the Kushiara river.
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Thousands of people have been hit by the floods, while shortage of food and drinking water has mounted the woes of the victims.
The victims alleged that they were yet to get relief materials from the government.
Meanwhile, the flood situation in Sylhet city, Biswanath upazila and Kanaighat upazila of the district remained the same with rains subsiding over the last couple of days.
Read: Govt hopes FY2023 will be final year of Covid pandemic: Document
Besides, the flood situation in Companiganj, Goainghat and Jointapur upazilas of the district has slightly improved with water levels in major rivers -- the Dhalai, the Pian, the Sari and the Lova -- subsiding. Over 90 percent areas of the three upazilas have been flooded.
The Army, the Navy, the Coast Guard, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the local police have been pressed into action to evacuate the flood victims of the district.