Flood-hit people face pure water, food, sanitation crises

The flood-hit people of 18 districts are suffering from a shortage of drinking water, food and sanitation facilities now, although the water level in the major rivers is falling. 

The floods that hit the country on June 27, primarily caused a loss of around Tk500 crore for the agriculture sector, the agriculture ministry said. 

However, the government said it has enough stock of food and other relief materials and are distributing those following the demand of district administrations. 

Meanwhile, the rivers crossed the danger mark in 22 points in 12 districts in the last 24 hours ending at 9am on Saturday, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said.

The water level in Ganges and Padma was expected to fall 24 hours after that.  

Also, the water level is going down in the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, and Meghna rivers. 

However, the Brahmaputra river was expected to cross the danger mark in the Jamalpur point.

The Centre forecast that the flood situation may stay stable in the next 24 hours ending at 9am on Sunday in five districts – Munshiganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Rajbari, and Dhaka. 

The situations in Sunamganj, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bagura, Jamalpur, Natore, Sirajganj, Tangail, and Manikganj were also likely to improve during that time.

The floods may continue throughout July in the northern, northern-central and central parts of the country due to heavy rainfall, the Bangladesh Metrological Department said.

Also, the ongoing floods in 18 districts have heavily damaged cultivation of Aush and Amon paddies, vegetables, nuts and other crops.

Agriculture Secretary Md Nasiruzzaman said, "We will assist the farmers to recover the losses. Especially, we will prepare the seedbeds for Aman cultivation for free."

Meanwhile, Kurigram district has taken the worst hit of the floods. The farmers of the district already faced an estimated loss of Tk90 crore.

The floods damaged crops of 67,715 farmers on 9,789 hectares land, the district agriculture department said. 

Mojibor Rahman, 65, a farmer of Kurigram Sadar upazila, said, "I cultivated bitter gourd on .6 acres of lands. When I started selling them most of the crops got damaged by floods."

Mohubur Rahman, 38, a farmer, in Pachgachi union, said he cultivated pointed gourd on .8 acres of land. "I have lost crops of around Tk2 lakh due to the flood."  

Jashthi Chandra Roy, additional deputy director of the district's Department of Agricultural Extension said, "We are suggesting the affected farmers take preparations for the upcoming rabi crops."

In Tangail, the water of all rivers is rising. Around 2 lakh people have become marooned in 32 unions of six upazilas of the district. 

Shamsul Haque, a resident of Rehai Gabsara village, said, "The water flooded my house. We are facing a crisis of drinking water as our tubewell has sunk."

Gabasara Union Parishad Chairman Maniruzzaman, said, "About 550 houses have gone under water in my union. Also, 40,000 people of 47 villages have become stranded."

Meanwhile, the water level of Padma and Jamuna are rising in the Manikganj point worsening the flood situation in the district. 

Shahjahan Ali Bishwash, deputy director of Manikganj's Department of Agricultural Extension said: "The floods have inundated agricultural land of around 7,000 hectares in the district."  

Around 3,000 people in Shibaloy, Doulatpur, Ghior, Horirampur and Shaturia have become homeless.

Shirajul Islam, a school teacher of Doulatpur, said, "Most of the roads have gone underwater. People cannot get essential goods even though they have money." 

Thousands of people of Kaunia, Gangachara, and Pirgacha upazila in Rangpur are facing river erosion as the water level of Tista is falling now. 

The houses and croplands have been affected most in these areas.