UNB, Kushtia :Floods triggered by the rise in water level of the Padma River after India opened the floodgates of the Farakka Barrage to ease Bihar flood situation left some 60,000 people in 30 villages of Daulatpur upazila marooned.According to Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the water level of the mighty river is about to reach its danger mark at Hardinge Bridge point with a 2 cm rise in every three hours. At the current rate, the danger level will cross within Saturday. At 12 pm on Friday, the water level at the point was recorded at 14.06 cm, only 0.19 cm below the danger mark. Meanwhile, the water level of the Garai River, a branch of the Padma, has also increased accordingly, said BWDB sources. Executive Engineer of Kushtia BWDB Noimul Haquesaid the water flow of the Padma is increasing as India has opened the floodgates of Farakka Barrage.The swelling of the Padma has already flooded 30 villages in Chilmari and Ramkrishnapur unions of Daulatpur upazila. Water has poured into almost all the houses in the villages, leaving about 60,000 people marooned and huge jute, rice, chili and other agricultural produces stored in houses damaged, said locals.Chilmari UP chairman Syed Ahmed said the people of 18 flood-affected villages in his union are also facing difficulties with their cattle. On Tuesday, the Central Water Resources Ministry of India directed to open all the floodgates of the Farakka Barrage in West Bengal to relieve Bihar of monsoon flood, according to Indian daily The Hindu. The decision came after news reports published in Indian media on Sunday that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reiterated the demand to open the floodgates.
