Special Correspondent :
The flood situation has continued to worsen, with water in nine major rivers flowing above the danger level at 19 points.
Thousands of people have been stranded in 11 flood-affected districts, including the newly flooded low-lying areas of Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Netrokona, and Tangail.
According to meteorological departments, a cyclonic circulation over northeast Rajasthan and a trough running from northeast Rajasthan to Bangladesh are expected to cause widespread light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, over East and Northeast India for the next five days.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) reports water levels at 64 river stationshave risen, while 43 stations have recorded a fall.
Among the 110 monitored river stations, water levels at 19 stations are flowing above the danger level.
Nine rivers including Dharla, Ghagot, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Surma, Kushiyara, Manu, Old-Surma, and Someswari—are flowing above the danger level at 19 points, with 10 points within 50 cm below the danger mark.
The affected districts include Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura, Sirajganj, Tangail, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Netrokona.
The Executive Engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Sarder Udoy Raihan, said, “The Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Ganges-Padma rivers are on a rising trend, which may continue for the next 72 hours.
Except for the Kushiyara, rivers in the northeastern region of the country are generally falling, a trend expected to continue for the next 24 hours.
Meteorological organisations have indicated that heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in the northern region and adjoining upstream parts of the country, with heavy rainfall also anticipated in the northeastern region and its upstream areas in the next 48 hours.
In the next 24 hours, the flood situation in some low-lying areas along the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river in Kurigram, Jamalpur, Gaibandha, Bogra, and Sirajganj districts may deteriorate, while the water level may cross the danger level at some points in Tangail district, according to the FFWC bulletin.
The flood situation in the low-lying areas of the northeastern region may remain steady during this period.
“In the next 48 hours, the Teesta, Dharla, Ghagot, and Dudhkumar rivers in the northern region of the country may rise rapidly at times.
Consequently, the Teesta and Dudhkumar rivers may cross danger levels and flow above them for short durations.
The flood situation in low-lying areas along the Dharla and Ghagot rivers in Kurigram and Gaibandha districts may slightly deteriorate,” said Sarder Udoy Raihan, in charge of FFWC.
He further stated that in the next 48 hours, the Jamuneswari, Karatoa, Bangali, Upper Karotoa, Punarbhaba, Tangon, Ichamoti-Jamuna, Atrai, Mohananda, and Choto-Jamuna rivers in the northern and northwestern regions of the country may rise rapidly.
In Gaibandha, the overall flood situation in the Chars and Brahmaputra river basin areas on the eastern side of the flood control embankment in four upazilas has deteriorated as the river water continues to rise.
The water level of the river rose by 66 cm in the last 24 hours until Thursday morning due to incessant rain and hilly waters from upstream. The river was flowing 56 cm above the danger level at the Fulchharighat point, inundating low-lying areas and river basins along the western side of the river.
Around 20,000 families in Sundarganj, Sadar, Fulchhari, and Saghata upazilas have been marooned, with many taking shelter on the flood control embankment with their belongings, including domestic animals and poultry, facing a shortage of cow feed.
In Netrokona, low-lying areas in over 100 villages in Kalmakanda, Barhatta, Mohanganj, Madan, and Sadar upazilas have been flooded due to torrential rains from upstream. Floodwaters have entered at least 68 villages in eight unions of Kalmakanda union, causing suffering for residents due to the inundation of roads, ponds, houses, and schools.
A portion of the Netrakona-Kalmakanda road is under threat due to floodwater. According to District BWDB sources, the water in the Ubdakhali river in Kalmakanda was flowing 43 cm above the flood line at Dakbungalow point on Thursday afternoon.
The water levels of the Someshwari River at Bijoypur and Durgapur points are precariously close to the flood stage.
Meanwhile, in Kurigram, the flood situation has worsened due to the rising waters of the Brahmaputra and Dharla rivers, exacerbated by continuous rainfall and upstream water flow, leaving 90,000 people stranded.
Families affected by the flood are struggling to cook and manage daily activities. Women, children, and people with disabilities are facing particularly harsh conditions, trapped by floodwaters.
Abdul Gafur, Chairman of Jatrapur Union in Kurigram Sadar, reported that the homes of 1,500 people in his union are submerged, leaving 8,000 people stranded.
Rafsan Jani, a sub-divisional engineer with the BWDB in Kurigram, noted that the Brahmaputra River is flowing 63 cm above the danger level at the Chilmari River Port point, while the Dharla River is 2 cm above the danger level at the Kurigram Bridge point.