Although the ongoing flood situation is improving slightly in may parts of the country, over two million flood-hit people in 19 districts have been facing serious miseries, as many of them are now homeless and they lost their belongings, including their last hope — Aman paddy and other seasonal crops.
The people of low-lying flooded areas have lost their earning sources with the loss of crops in the fields that have remained under water for about 15 days. The poor people are passing their time without work. They need immediate interest-free loans, seedlings and other assistance to recover the losses caused by the ongoing floods. due to lack of pure drinking water and sanitation. Alongside with the relief materials, the flood-hit people are also facing crisis of necessary medicines and also fodders for the domestic animals as crazing fields have been lost.
In this backdrop, the demand for increased relief and cash grant from the government has been raised so that the flood victims can overcome the plight. The demand for approving interest-free loans, providing seedlings and other helps for the farmers also came up so that they can cultivate their lands within a short time to overcome the damages.
The relief they have received from the district administration was not enough to meet their requirement. Besides, the fodder scarcity has remained a major concern for the people, who are still perched on high lands or roads with the cattle.
Farmers fear of outbreak of foot and mouth disease of cows in the flood affected areas. People, especially those live in chars in northern districts, are concerned for their cattle, the only asset that has survived the onslaught of erosion of the river Teesta and flooding of the low-lying areas.
An official of the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) said that waters in several rivers were still flowing over danger level on Tuesday, while the flood-hit people in different areas are facing crisis of dry food, pure drinking water and medicine. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has already allocated 7,500 metric tonnes of rice and Tk. 1.5 crore money in cash to face the flood, he said.
The official said that at least four persons have died in the flood while 47 persons affected with the waterborne diseases only in Kurigram got admitted to hospitals. He also admitted that the farmers are concerned for the extensive damages of Aman paddy, vegetables and other seasonal crops.
He also suggested the flood-hit farmers to contact with upazila agriculture officers for getting helps while the homeless people to contact with UP chairmen for reconstructing their damaged houses.
Although the local administrations claim that that they are distributing the relief materials and other government assistance among the flood victims, those are less than the needs. In some areas, the local administration could not reach the people due to collapse of roads and other communications systems.
According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the water at least in 16 rivers was flowing above danger levels on Tuesday.
Ripon Karmaker, Assistant Engineer of the FFWC, said that the Brahmaputra, the Jamuna, the Ganges, the Padma and the Meghna were in falling trend. These major rivers might likely continue to fall in the next two days. However, the rivers around Dhaka City — the Buriganga, the Balu, the Turag and the Tongi Khal — may start to fall in next 24 hours. Flood situation in the districts of Kurigram, Rangpur, Gaibandha Bogra, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Tangail Shariatpur, Madaripur, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Manikganj, Sylhet andSunamganj may continue to improve in next 48 hours, it said.
Despite falls in the water level, the Brahmmaputra was still flowing above the danger mark. In this backdrop, a large number of the people in the northern districts, including Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur and Nilphamari, are still marooned by flood waters. Allegations are that the government relief materials were insufficient among the flood-affected people in the Brahmaputra basin.
Meanwhile, BNP has formed seven teams to visit the flood-hit northern and central regions of the country. It will distribute relief materials among the affected people. Senior leaders of the party will head the teams.
The BNP teams have been formed a day after the party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia alleged that the government has failed to take any effective measure to mitigate the sufferings of the flood-affected people in the northern and central regions.
