AS many flood victims in central Bangladesh started returning home after several weeks, they find their houses in ruins. Hundreds of people moved to flood shelters in the coastal region over the past few days. In the north, from where flood water receded about two weeks ago, rehabilitation has not yet started. Many people, especially the victims of erosion, are still unable to get a roof over their heads. In most areas, the flood affected people have no food, no drinking water, and shelter to live in, while their arable lands are still waterlogged and family members are suffering from water-borne diseases. Daily wage earners walk miles after miles to look around for work but return with empty hands almost regularly as the flood and the Coronavirus pandemic has drastically reduced employment opportunities in villages.
On Tuesday, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman said that they would restore every house damaged in the flood and help every affected person. Local government representatives are under huge pressure and they have been mere spectators of people’s sufferings for they did not get anything from the government to help the flood victims. In Munshiganj, erosion victims were trying to build houses on their own but frequent erosions made some of them so poor over the years that they have nothing left with them to begin afresh. Some of them are even unable to build temporary polythene tents because the land they used to live in is now overrun by stagnant water. However, the government was yet to provide them with a rehabilitation plan or fund.
Bangladesh is seeing the worst flooding in decades with parts of it remaining under water for more than two months. The floodwaters receded from the north in early August but slowly and parts of central districts are still under water. Amid the pandemic, the government must ensure basic support to the flood affected and support them to rehabilitate and resume the agriculture. The affluent sections of the society, large conglomerates and banks’ CSR can effectively support the flood victims in a coordinated manner.
