Home ›› 22 Jun 2022 ›› Front
So far, 36 people have died in 27 flood-affected districts in the last five weeks due to the catastrophic flooding triggered by heavy monsoon downpours.
In addition, 2,934 people were affected by various diseases such as vision impairment, diarrhoea, skin diseases, or sustained snake bites during this period, according to the data provided by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Of the casualties, five deaths and 442 infections were reported in the last 24 hours.
According to DGHS, 18 people died in Sylhet, 15 in Mymensingh and three in the Rangpur division.
The maximum number of 10 deaths was reported in Sylhet district, followed by five in Sunamganj.
They died of being drowned in floodwater and of being bitten by snakes.
A total of 1,976 medical teams are working in the flood-hit four divisions, said DGHS.
Despite the fact that the flood waters in the Sylhet region have begun to recede slowly due to decreased rainfall, the flood situation in the central part of the country has worsened.
Nearly six million people have been displaced due to the floods, amid fast-rising waters and swollen rivers, reports BSS.
“The flooding is the worst in 122 years in the Sylhet region,” said the director-general of the Department of Disaster Management, Atiqul Haque.
“Rescue and relief operations have been intensified, with army and navy officials reaching out to more people trapped in floodwater,” Atiqul added.
Large areas of entire settlements still remain submerged under brown, swirling waters, as military personnel use boats to deliver drinking water and food to people sheltering on the upper floors of buildings.
Exorbitant watercraft fares have disrupted emergency medical services such as transporting critical patients to hospitals.
In the worst-affected Sunamganj, food, fresh drinking water, medicine, and fuel are all in short supply, amid the skyrocketing prices for essential commodities.
56,000 hectares of Aus paddy damaged
Aush paddy on about 56,000 hectares of land in the country has been damaged by the ongoing flood triggered by incessant showers, said Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Tuesday.
“If the floods do not last long, it is possible to recoup the losses caused so far. That’s why extensive preparations have already been taken,” he told reporters after a meeting with Maldives High Commissioner Shiruzimath Sameer at the Secretariat.
Razzaque said Aush paddy on 22,000 hectares of land in Sunamganj and Sylhet were damaged by floodwater. Flood has slumbered different areas in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, and Moulvibazar districts.
Besides, vegetables, sesame, nuts, etc. have been damaged, he added.
The minister said various measures are being taken to ensure that the production of Aman paddy is not disrupted, adding that Aman is a major crop in the country, where about 1.50 crore tonnes of rice are produced annually.
“Now the work of preparing seedbeds by planting Aman has started. If the flood situation improves, the seedbed will not be damaged much.”
Besides, initiatives will be taken to cultivate Nabi variety (Late Variety) Aman paddy in case of prolonged flood, he added.
He also said the ongoing floods may affect vegetable prices. “It is not yet clear whether there will be a food crisis in the country due to the floods.”
Poor river management key reason behind flood
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) on Tuesday said that the declining width and navigability of rivers, the lack of bypass channels to drain upstream water, and the lack of prior planning to deal with climate change are the main reasons behind the floods in the Sylhet region.
BAPA came up with the remarks at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity, while the green organisation also said the inefficiency and irregularities in river management were a key reason behind the flood.
Dr Md Khalequzzaman, professor at the University of Lock Haven, USA, presented a keynote paper at the press conference mentioning three reasons for the flood—global, transnational, and domestic.
He said, “Scientists predicted a long time ago that global warming would increase rainfall and flooding in our region during the monsoons. As a result of climate change, sea levels are rising, and the flow of the ocean-going rivers has slowed down. The rivers are not able to drain water as efficiently as before. Due to the slow flow of the river, floods are prolonging in the
haor area.”
Dr Khalequzzman said, “The transnational factor is that India unilaterally controls the water flow of every river in the Meghna Basin. Deforestation and the extraction of coal and other minerals upstream create a lot of silt. India covers 56 per cent of the Meghna Basin. There are 16 cross-border rivers flowing in the basin, but there is no agreement for joint management of water for any of those.”
Khalequzzaman said, “The third reason is that 43 per cent of the Meghna Basin is inside Bangladesh. But over the last seven decades, the country’s rivers, reservoirs, and haors have been severely damaged by the implementation of the wrong water policy.
The flow of water has been hampered by the construction of dams, polders, and various physical infrastructures along the river banks.
Heavy rainfall less likely
According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre report, all the major rivers in the country are on a rising trend.
FFWC Executive Engineer Arifuzzman Bhuyan said the flood situation in the Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, and Netrokona districts may improve, while in the Kishoreganj district it may deteriorate in the next 24 hours.
The water level of the Teesta may flow close to its danger level in the next 24 hours while the flood situation in Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, and Rangpur may remain steady, he said.
The FFWC report also said the flood situation in Kurigram, Gaibandha, and Jamalpur may remain steady, while in Bogra, Sirajganj, and Tangail may deteriorate slightly.
There is a chance of flooding in the low-lying areas of Faridpur, Shariatpur and Rajbari districts in the next 24 hours, it said.
According to the numerical weather forecast of meteorological agencies, heavy rainfall inside Bangladesh and different upstream Indian regions is less likely.
