Flood water has started receding in northern districts, leaving people in the region in distress as their houses and crop fields remain inundated.
According to local sources, people living in low-lying and char areas have become the worst hit. Villagers are facing difficulties feeding their cattle. River erosion has been found in different places in the districts.
Incessant rain and rush of upstream water in all the transboundary rivers- Teesta, Dharla Brahmaputra and Dudkumar marooned around two lahks of people in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Gaibandha districts of the region in last week.
People who took shelter in government highlands and flood shelters started to return home and found their houses almost damaged.
Nagen Chandra Barmon, 62, a resident of Folimari village under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila said, “ We took shelter on the embankment as the flood water entered the house. We returned home on Monday and found the house, furniture and valuables badly damaged. Cattle rearing has become difficult as there is no grassland in the field.”
About two hundred fifty families in the village have been facing the same plight, he added.
Afaj Miah, 60 of Charhara village said, “Our house has been partially damaged by the flood water. We are facing troubles due to the cattle feed crisis as there is no grassland in the village.”
According to the sources of Kurigram and Lalmonirhat district administration, some 18000 families of 185 char areas under nine upazilas of the district have been affected and 412 fish ponds washed away in Kurigram district while some 16,000 families of 90 char areas have become flood-hit and 65 ponds have washed away. Hundred acres of croplands including summer vegetables had been submerged.
Bhogdanga UP chairman under Kurigram Sadar, Saidur Rhaman said, around 4,000 families of the union had been affected and six houses were washed away by the rush of flood water in the Dharla River. croplands were marooned. The villagers suffered miserably along with their cattle.
Insan Miah, 50 a farmer in the Char boaribari area of the union said his house got inundated. They have been passing their days miserably.
Deputy Commissioner, Kurigram, Mohammad Saidul Arif said the district administration distributed rice, dry food, fresh water and cash among the flood victims. They gave support for cattle feed in the affected areas of the district.
Abdullah Al Mamun, executive engineer of WDB in Kurigram, said river erosion has been found in different places of the district with the receding of flood water sharply. The department has been working to protect river erosion at Gotiasham, Bajra, Mollarhat, Namajerchar, Kachkol and Nayarhat village areas on the bank of Teesta and Brahmaputra rivers under Rajarhat and Ulipur upazila of the district.
He also added that the concerned officials in all upazilas have been asked to remain vigilant for emergency work to protect river erosion.
Mofaazol Hossain, Chairman Rajpur union under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila said, about 100 homesteads, 150 bighas of croplands and 3 fruit orchards were eroded in the Teesta River.
Sunil Kumar, executive engineer of the Water Development Board WDB in Lalmonirhat said the department has started emergency repairing works dumping sand-filled GO bags to protect river erosion in the union.
Laxitari union under Gongachara upazila of Rangpur district chairman, Abdullah AL Hadhi said, around five hundred families and acres of croplands of his union were inundated.
Nohali union chairman, Ashraf Ali said, around three thousand families in eight villages of char areas under the union have been affected.
Monnaf Miah, Gongachara Sankordahao union Member said, Teesta River erosion started in the union. Students of Shokordhao Government Primary School,Rana, Anisur Rahman, Moslema Kahtun said their school has been shifted to faraway places. They face difficulties walking long distances and the absence of electricity supply in the new school compound.
Gongachara Upazilla Primary Education Officer, Nagma Silvia Khan said, “We are relocating the school to a safer place sharing with the local and district administration.”
UNO Gongachara upazila, Nahid Tamana said, the upazila administration distributed relief among the victim families and the activities still are going on.
“We, however, remain alert of the erosion and informed the concerned department officials to take immediate measures to protect erosion,” the UNO added.
Around 10,000 people living in twenty villages including Modhupur and Dhusmara char areas of Kawnia upazila have been marooned by the Teesta River.
Rampur Divisional Director (Health) Dr ABM Abu Hanif said,” We have directed all upazila health complexes in the flooding areas to serve healthcare services in case of breaking out any diseases in the post-flood situation.”
Deputy Director, Directorate of Agricultural Extension, Rangpur Obaidur Rhaman said, the loss and damage by the flood water are yet to be calculated in the region.
