Staff Reporter :
The death toll has risen to 18 as the country faces one of the most devastating floods in its history, exacerbated by water released from India.
Experts have linked the recent deluge to the intentional opening of the Dumbur Dam gates in Tripura, India, marking the worst flood in Bangladesh in 30 years.
“India never thinks about the lives of the people of Bangladesh. People believe that the gates of the Dumbur Dam were opened intentionally, which is why this sudden flood occurred,” stated Posts, information and broadcasting affairs adviser of the interim government Md. Nahid Islam recently.
Heavy rainfall in Tripura over the past several days caused rivers to overflow, leading to severe flooding. “To keep their (India’s) areas flood-free, the gates of the dam have been opened at this moment,” added Nahid.
However, the flood situation in five districts-Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Feni, Cumilla, and Chattogram-has started to improve a little bit.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) reported on Saturday that rainfall had decreased in the border regions of Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, and Feni districts, as well as in the Indian state of Tripura, over the past 24 hours. Consequently, the flood situation has shown signs of improvement.
The ongoing floods have affected more than 4.9 million people across eleven districts, with 18 fatalities reported so far.
Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Md. Kamrul Hasan shared this information during a press conference at the Secretariat on Saturday. He mentioned that the flood situation is gradually improving.
“The number of affected districts remains at 11. The total number of affected people in these 11 districts is 4,938,159. The number of affected families is 944,548,” said the Secretary.
He further confirmed that 18 people have died in the floods, with the deaths distributed as follows: 4 in Cumilla, 1 in Feni, 5 in Chattogram, 3 in Noakhali, 1 in Brahmanbaria, 1 in Lakshmipur, and 3 in Cox’s Bazar.
Kamrul Hasan also reported that 3,527 shelters have been opened, where 284,888 people have taken refuge.
Despite the receding floodwaters, nine stations along six rivers in the affected areas are still flowing above the danger mark, according to the FFWC.
However, water levels at five other stations have now dropped below the danger level.
The FFWC bulletin also mentioned that there had been no significant rainfall in the eastern regions of Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, and Feni districts along the Tripura border and within the Tripura basin over the last 24 hours.
The water levels in the upstream rivers are receding, resulting in the improving flood situation in the low-lying areas of Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Feni, Cumilla, and Chattogram districts since Friday. In the next 24 hours, the flood situation in the low-lying areas near the Manu, Khowai, Dhalai, Muhuri, Feni, Gumti, and Halda rivers is expected to continue improving, according to the FFWC.
However, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Saturday predicted moderate to heavy rains in the Khulna, Barisal, and Chattogram divisions. “Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds are likely to occur at many places over Khulna, Barisal and Chattogram divisions, and at a few places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions, with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over Khulna, Barisal and Chattogram divisions,” said a Met office bulletin.
Meanwhile, approximately 9.28 lakh subscribers in nine flood-affected districts of the country’s southeast regions are currently without power, according to the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources. The ministry stated that a total of 17 substations have been shut down in Feni, the hardest-hit district, leaving 4.41 lakh customers without electricity.