Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
The flood situation worsened in several districts of the country on Saturday. The concerned authorities forecast that he overall flood situation in Bogra, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Manikganj, Rajbari, Munshiganj and Shariatpur districts would deteriorate further today (Sunday).
According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) and the Water Development Board (WDB), most of the country’s major rivers are on rising trend. The water level registered rise at 37 points, while the rivers were flowing above the danger level at 23 points, said Md Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, Sub-Divisional Engineer and Duty Officer of the FFWC.
The FFWC official also said that the Padma, the Brahmaputra and the Jamuna were on rising trend on Saturday. The Padma may continue its rising trend for the next 24 hours. The rivers in the northeastern part of the country were on falling trend, which may continue for the next 24 hours. He said also that the rivers around the Dhaka city were on rising trend, which may continue in next several days. But the rivers won’t cross the danger level.
The people of at least 24 flood-affected districts are facing acute crisis of dry food and pure drinking water. They go to dry land on boats in search of food. Houses of many people and their croplands have gone under floodwater and the newly transplanted Aman paddy has been damaged adversely. Many villagers are selling their domestic animals at lower prices, as there is no fodder. However, local people fear outbreak of the waterborne diseases like diarrhoea.
Many people allege that the government’s attention to the flood-hit people is very poor. Though the local administration has distributed some relief materials, it is heedless of the waterborne diseases.
Director General of the Department of Disaster Management Md Riaz Ahmed said, flooding is now taking place in 24 districts of the country. It will take time to assess the information about losses caused by this round of flooding. They are working hard to help the flood-hit people.
He said also that the Health Ministry had been urged to keep medical team ready to face any outbreak of diseases. The Local Government Ministry had also been urged to ensure safe drinking water in the flood-hit areas.
In Kurigram, nearly six lakh people in six hundred villages of 66 unions under nine upazilas of the district are still under floodwater. People of the affected areas are facing immense suffering. Most of the villagers are starving due to scarcity of food, relief materials and drinking water. On the other hand, the cattle owners in the flood-affected areas in the district find no grasses to feed their livestock.
The Brahmaputra, the Dharla, the Jamuna and other rivers were flowing above the danger level at several points. According to the FFWC, the Dharla was flowing 40 cm above the danger level at Kurigram point, while the Brahmaputra was flowing 38 cm above the danger level at Chilmari point. The water level in the Brahmaputra marked rise by eight cm at the point on Saturday.
In Gaibandha, fresh areas of seven upazilas in the district had gone under floodwater affecting about two lakh people. Thousands of Aman farmers have also been affected by the flood in the district. The farmers are facing uncertainty due to lack of seedlings for replanting in their fields.
The water level in the Ghagot River increased by 20 cm on Saturday at Gaibandha point and the river was flowing 56 cm above the dangler level at the point.
In Lalmonirhat, the overall flood situation in the district remained unchanged. Shibendu Khastagir, Executive Cngineer of the WDB said the situation would improve if there were no rain and onrush of water from upstream and across the border during the next 24 hours.
In Sirajganj, fresh areas went under floodwater also on Saturday. Many people took shelter on embankments, educational institutions, high places and the flood shelter centres. The people, who got shelter, are passing their days with miseries. They did not get relief materials. The distressed people are looking for relief materials.
According to the FFWC, the Jamuna River was flowing above the danger level at several points. The water level was on rising trend. The water level in the river marked rise by 9 cm at Sirajganj point and the river was flowing 70 cm above the danger level at the point.
In Jamalpur, the flood situation in the district has worsened, as the water level in the Jamuna, the Brahmaputra and the Bangalee rivers increased for onrush of water from the upstream and heavy rainfall. Jamalpur District Primary Education Officer Abdul Alim said they had closed 109 primary schools in the district for flood.
In Bogra, crops on at least 10,000 hectares of land in the district have been damaged, sources in the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said. Bogra Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Uddin said that they were trying their best to help the flood-affected people.
