Several districts on the border with the Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya have been hit. Homes and crops suffer damages. Food and drinking water are in short supply. Schools and educational facilities run by religious have been hit just a few days before secondary school exams. The government is sending aid; Caritas Bangladesh is also active.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Heavy rains have caused major flooding on the border with India affecting a million people. The districts concerned are Sunamganj, Sylhet, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamary and Sirajgonj.
The rain swelled the upper course of several rives in the Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya have. Other waterways have reached guard levels, most notably the Teesta, Dharla, Dudhkumar, Surma and Sarigowain.
As a result of the flooding, roads have become submerged disrupting traffic. Boats have become the only means of transport in flooded areas. In some place people have resorted to rickshaws.
Crops and homes have suffered damages with many farm animals dying.
People are hard-pressed to find food and drinking water, said Rupok Dhor, a resident of the Kompaniganj sub-district, in the Sylhet area.
In several places, the government has been unable to deliver aid, a situation compounded by the fact that this is the second time in a year that the affected districts have faced flooding.
The floods have hit many schools and other educational facilities run by religious at a delicate time of the year: Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams are scheduled for this coming Sunday.
Parents and students have urged the authorities to postpone the exams, this according to Shah Mohammad Jamal Uddin, former chairman of the Islampur West Union in Kompaniganj.
Meanwhile, government efforts to help the victims continue, local sources report. Sunamganj District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer said that 330 tonnes of rice were sent to the affected areas, along with 900,000 taka (US$ 9,700), to help residents.
Non-governmental organisations are also taking action to bring aid, including Caritas Bangladesh.