Troops deployed to deal with flood onslaughts on northeastern Bangladesh got down to relief and rescue operation as many remained marooned amid woes, though rain remission gives some respite.
Reports say the situation little improved in Sylhet Sunday with communications partially restored but the calamity continued to worsen in the worst-hit Sunamganj district amid onrush of waters rolling down the hills across the border.
Millions of marooned people were crying for relief amid shortage of food in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrakona , Kurigram and other eight districts.
Thousands of people newly saw their homes get swamped in parts of Habiganj district as the Kushiayara river along with the Kalni and the Surama also started flowing above the danger mark on Saturday night, said the Bangladesh Water Development Board.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit Sylhet to extend her support to millions of people marooned in the flood-ravaged northeast region.
Her Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim revealed the plan for her visit on Sunday, but could not confirm the date and other details.
Muhammad Mosharrof Hossain, the divisional commissioner of Sylhet, said he was informed that Hasina would arrive in the district on Tuesday. "We are preparing accordingly."
Army Chief General SM Shafiuddin visited different flood-hit areas in Sylhet on Sunday. During the visit he distributed relief materials among the flood victims at Companyganj’s Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-tech Park and in nearby areas (picture on page 3).
Water in the Teesta swelled over the danger mark the same day, flooding a vast area in Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari district, said the BWDB.
The sufferings of flood victims in Sunamganj and Sylhet knew no bounds amid end of food stock as well as the heavy current that is making obstacle for the rescuers to reach with assistance, said insiders.
Our Sunamganj correspondent reports the Sadar upazila also has been under water since Thursday.
Food prices increased by 100-120 per cent in Sunamganj Sadar area where rice is being retailed at Tk 100 a kg, potato Tk 50, egg Tk 15 per piece, he said.
He said public food storages in the district witnessed severe damage as water increased to even 10-11 feet on Friday, causing the drowning of first floors.
"Thousands need to be evacuated to shelters, they need immediate food assistance," he reports.
"I have an old mobile set which still has charge to some extent, but might be disconnected in no time," he said, as many remained incommunicado.
Meanwhile, food controller of Sylhet district Nayan Jothy Chakma told the FE that 1000 tonnes of grains in Companiganj and Goayainghat storages had been damaged due to the flooding.
He said 10,000 tonnes of rice, wheat and paddy are now stored in 14 food storages in the districts.
In the Sadar food storages, 2.0 tonnes so far were damaged.
"We have sought help from the firefighters to remove water from the food-storage areas," he said.
He said if water continued to rise, it would be tough to save the grains from ruin.
The National Disaster Response Coordination Centre (NDRCC) under the disaster management ministry reported above 5.3 million people marooned in seven flood-hit districts till Sunday noon.
It said 1720 tonnes of rice (GR), Tk 37.6 million and dry foods 58,000 packets had been distributed between June 16 and 19 to flood-affected people in 11 districts.
According to the NDRCC report, only 0.114 million (114,405) people were brought to 965 flood shelters in the severe hit Sunamganj, Sylhjet and Netrakona districts.
Meanwhile, the flood forecasting and warning centre (FFWC) report of Sunday evening said all major rivers of the country were in a spate.
It said Surama and Kushiayara became "more dangerous flowing over 143 cm and 160 cm above their danger marks respectively on Sunday", intensifying misery of the people.
Nine major rivers at 18 points were flowing above the danger marks by 7.0 cm to 160 cm.
FFWC forecasts medium to heavy rainfall (somewhere very heavy) at places of the northern and northeastern regions of the country along with adjoining Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal over next two days.
As a result, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma, Surma, Kushiyara, Teesta, Dharla, Dudkumar and all other major rivers may continue rising during the period.
Flood situation in the Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrakona districts may deteriorate while the Teesta might remain near or above danger level in next twenty four hours.
The flood condition may deteriorate in the low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra, Jamalpur, Sirajganj might deteriorate while the low-lying areas of Tangail, Munshiganj and Shariatpur might be flooded.
FFWC recorded 317 mm rainfall in Jaflong of Sylhet, 310 mm in Sylhet, 129mm in Sunamganj while 289mm in Shilchar of Assam state and 253mm at Cherapunji in Meghalaya state of India in a day.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Bank Monday ordered banks to deliver banking services to the flood-hit people through branches adjacent to the areas that are still unaffected.
As the branches and sub-branches located in the flood-affected areas - Sylhet, Sunamganj, Rangpur, Kurigram and other districts - cannot continue their operations because of the flood, the branches will have to be suspended, the central bank said in circular.
