Sylhet Bureau :
Since heavy rains and torrential downpours began in Sylhet on 27 May, floods have wreaked havoc, destroying homes, livestock, and various government facilities, particularly the road transportation system.
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and Roads and Highways Department (RHD) have estimated a loss of almost Tk200 crore so far, which is expected to rise further.
Sources at the LGED and RHD said that 12 out of 13 upazilas in Sylhet district have been affected by floods. The situation has been particularly severe in Goainghat, Jokiganj, Jaintapur, Companiganj, and Kanaighat upazilas, with significant road damage reported in these areas.
Major roads in these upazilas were submerged initially, leading to closures for several days. Temporary repairs by the concerned departments have allowed traffic to resume.
Approximately 160 kilometres of roads under LGED’s jurisdiction in Sylhet district have been damaged, with an estimated loss of Tk118.7 crore. This amount is likely to increase. Meanwhile, around 40 kilometres of roads under the jurisdiction of RHD have also been damaged, causing a loss of Tk84 crore, which is also expected to rise. Among the affected roads in Sylhet are the Sari-Goainghat road, Darbast-Kanaighat road, Companiganj-Chhatak road, and Fenchuganj-Manikona road. The floodwaters have also caused extensive damage to the Sylhet-Tamabil road in Jaintapur.
Additionally, the Baurbagh-Mallikpur road, Goabari road, Kamalbari road, Lakshmipur road, Dundirpar road, and WAPDA Beribandh road in Sarighat have been affected in Jaintapur upazila.
The Sadar-Sonarhat road and Radhanagar road in Gowainghat upazila were also damaged, and some parts of the Khagail-Kaifgaon road in Companiganj upazila have been destroyed by landslides. At least six roads in Ichakals and Dakshin Ranigaon union of this upazila have also been damaged by floods.
The Sadar-Gachhbari-Haripur road in Kanaighat upazila was not damaged, but the approaches on both sides were affected. The Kanaighat section of Burhan Uddin road and the Kanaighat-Chatul-Barband-Surighat road have also suffered significant damage. KM Farooq Hossain, executive engineer of LGED Sylhet, said, “Sylhet is still flooded. A full estimate of the damage cannot be determined until the water recedes completely. So far, according to the information provided by the upazila offices of LGED, about 160 km of roads under our jurisdiction have been damaged, causing a loss of Tk118.7 crore.”
Amir Hossain, executive engineer of RHD Sylhet, also said, “About 40 kilometres of roads under our authority have been damaged, resulting in a loss of Tk84 crore. We have made the most damaged roads suitable for vehicular movement through temporary repairs in a short time. Permanent repairs will take some time. For this, we will send the demand to the department concerned, and an inspection team will come. After the allocation is made, we can start the renovation work.”