Flood situation in the country continues to worsen with major rivers flowing over the danger level, washing away fishing enclosures, standing crops over the vast swathe of areas and marooning tens of thousands of people in 10 districts.
Many areas of these districts have gone under several feet-deep water while floodwater continues to engulf fresh areas following the collapse of embankments and dykes in the flood-hit districts.
Record shows that seven rivers, including Khuwai, Kushiara, Manu, Gomati, Halda, Dhalai and Feni are flowing over the danger level at various points.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus urged all the advisers to stand by the flood-hit people as the flood situation is deteriorating in the country's 10 districts, leaving over 36 lakh people affected.
At least three people died after being washed away by the floodwater while several others remained missing in Cox's Bazar, Feni and Brahmanbaria.
One person died in Feni and other one in Brahmanbaria district in the flood, Disaster Management and Relief Ministry additional secretary KM Ali Reza said.
Locals of Feni said floodwater entered the area with a strong force on Wednesday night. They saw many areas inundating within hours.
Describing the ordeal on that night, Aby Yusuf, a sexagenarian told media that there were waters everywhere as villages, tract of land had been under water.
“The floodwater enters with a huge force. The level of water continues rising. I have just come out from the house with some clothes,” he said.
“Standing crops on my land have gone under water. Fishing enclosures, cattle and poultry farm have been washed away,” he said.
Like Yusuf, several lakhs of people of the affected districts are experiencing the untold sufferings due to the sudden flood, prompting them to take shelter at nearby shelter centres.
Citing a reference from history, Jaglul Islam said that Feni experienced a devastating flood in 1988.
“But my house did not go under water. I have not seen such a disastrous in the past.”
Road communication between Dhaka and Chattogram and other parts of the country have been snapped as national and regional highways went under two to four feet deep water.
Bangladesh Railway has also suspended the operation of 26 trains on the Dhaka-Chattogram, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Cox's Bazar, Chattogram-Sylhet, Chattogram-Jamalpur and Chattogram-Bhuyapur routes as railway tracks have got damaged at several points due to flash floods in different districts of the east zone of the Bangladesh Railway.
Bangladesh Army is conducting rescue operations and distributing relief goods among the flood victims
As a group of protesters in Dhaka accused India of causing devastating floods in 10 district, the Ministry of External Affairs of India issued a statement clarifying that the flood situation in Bangladesh is not due to release of waters from the Indian dam on Gumti River in Tripura.
“We have seen concerns being expressed in Bangladesh that the current situation of flood in districts on the eastern borders of Bangladesh has been caused by opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura. This is factually not correct,” said the statement.
Information and Broadcasting adviser of the interim government Nahid Islam on Thursday said India has shown ‘inhumanity’ by opening a dam without prior notice causing floods in Bangladesh.
Urging the neighbouring country to stop its ‘anti-people policy’, he also reportedly urged India to get rid of ‘tensions’ between the two countries so that the bilateral ties can be rebuilt ‘on the basis of fairness’.
Nahid said this during a press briefing after the meeting of the Advisory Council at the State Guest House Jamuna.
Nahid informed that 13 percent of the mobile network sites was down in the flood-affected areas while the network has been disrupted in several upazilas due to damage of optical fibers.
Nahid, also adviser for posts, telecommunications and information technology, said instructions have been given to make the mobile network available in the flood-affected areas.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Thursday issued an emergency warning for heavy rainfall due to active monsoon mainly in southern regions of the country, including the capital and Mymensingh district in the midst of the current flood situation.
“Due to active monsoon, heavy (44-88 mm per 24hrs) to very heavy (89 mm per 24hrs) rainfall is likely to occur at places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barisal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, during the next 48 hours commencing 10:00 am today,” said the warning signed by Meteorologist Dr Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik said.
“Due to heavy rainfall, landslide may occur at places over the hilly regions of Chattogram division,” it added.
Disaster Management and Relief Ministry has opened a control room for providing information and support. Control room's number is 0255101115.
Deputy commissioners of flood affected districts have been asked to work together in coordination with coordinators of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Army, medical teams and other volunteers.
Army and Navy members have been deployed in flood-affected areas in Feni. A total of 160 members of army and 40 rescue vessels have been sent to Feni. Besides, one water treatment plant has been set up. Navy's 71 members and eight rescue vessels are operating.
Besides, more vessels have been brought and BGB members have also been deployed.
