The flood situation has worsened in six districts of the country mainly due to on-rush of water from upstream plus incessant rains. Several lakh people in Kurigram, Netrakona, Bogra, Naogaon, Jamalpur, and Brahmanbaria districts have been marooned, many dwelling houses damaged and road communication snapped. Farmers are worried due to extensive damage caused to the Aman paddy, vegetable, and other seasonal crops.
About six hundred school houses in these districts are now being used by flood-hit people as shelters. Although the flood-hit people are passing their days in misery along with their children and cattle, the distribution of relief is insufficient. The flood victims in several areas have not received any relief as of Sunday. In some areas, the local administration is facing hindrances in distributing relief materials due to the collapse of rural roads. In the absence of adequate relief, the flood-affected people are facing an acute crisis of food and drinking water. In Kurigram, at least one lakh people are marooned, as over 200 villages under 32 unions of eight upazilas in the district, and 30 educational institutions in Roumari and Rajibpur Upazilas have been flooded.
According to the Department of Agriculture, transplanted Aman, and vegetables on at least 17 thousand acres of land have gone under floodwater. Fish from thousands of ponds have been washed away. In Naogaon, the flood situation has deteriorated further. About three lakh people in the district have been marooned, while nearly six thousand hectares of rice crop have been flooded. Rural roads have also gone under floodwater.
The government needs to support the flood-hit people with immediate relief, safe drinking water, fodder, and kits to maintain Covid-19 health norms. The local administration should declare an emergency and extend their all-out support to protect the people and help them to restart their chores of life.
