Kamrul Mia’s house has been inundated in the recent floods in Bangladesh. He is currently staying at the Usail Government Primary School shelter in Moulvibazar’s Kulaura Upazila. He does not know when he will be able to return home. His heart is heavy with worry and there is little room for Eid cheer.
Kamrul, alongside 11 members of his family and other flood victims, is spending Eid in the shelter.
“When will I be able to return home?” he asks. “I never thought I would spend Eid day homeless.”
Lokuj Miah and eight of his family members took shelter at the Chokapon Government Primary School shelter in the same upazila when the floodwaters began to rise. The family, which has lost everything, is unable to muster up any delight for Eid. Their only desire is to return home, reports bdnews24.com.
“We have no Eid joy,” Lokuj said. “The only thing we can think about is when we will be able to return home with our children.
Many people in Moulvibazar have been stranded by the floods since June 18. The slow receding of floodwaters means that, though some people have been able to go home, nearly 500,000 remain at shelters.
Borolekha Upazila has borne some of the worst of it as many people remain in shelters because their homes, businesses and marketplaces are still under water. The situation is similar in the Kulaura and Juri upazilas. Even on Eid day, the area is awash with hardship.
There are still people at 98 shelters in the Kulaura, Borolekha and Juri upazilas, said Arnab Kumar Malakar, assistant commissioner at the Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner’s Offices. At least 40,000 people will spend Eid there.
Khondker Mudassir Bin Ali, upazila executive officer from Borolekha Union, says Eid packages from the prime minister have been distributed in the area for the past four days. The area’s physically and mentally disabled, its flood-stricken owners and workers, and Borolekha’s historic shital pati industry also received government support.
Mudassir says the flooding situation in the district looks to be a long-term problem. Over 50,000 people are still stranded by the waters and at least 20,000 aren’t able to return home from the shelters. The houses of some victims have been seriously damaged and they will only be able to return once they are fixed.
The district and upazila administrations are conducting Eid sacrifices at each shelter.
Reconstruction work is underway on damaged homes and roads in all areas where the water has receded, officials said.
Moin Uddin, who came to the Dasher Bazar High School shelter with five of his family members, says that, despite the food and sacrificial meat provided by the upazila administration, he is still having trouble mustering much enthusiasm for Eid.
It’s not the same as celebrating in your own home, he said.
Ali Uddin, from West Shankarpur Village, is staying at the same shelter.
“For the past 20-22 days I’ve been here with my family and loved ones,” he said. “The floodwaters have ruined many of our possessions at home. We weren’t able to offer a sacrifice this Eid. If we were home, we would have been able to invite family and friends over. It’s a different kind of joy, being able to celebrate Eid in your own home.”
Several organisations have taken the initiative to distribute Eid packages in Kulaura, Juri, and Rajnagar.
Of the 29 villages in Kadipur Union in Kalaura, 24 were inundated, said Jafar Ahmed Gilman, chairman of the local union council. Seven shelters were opened to local flood victims, he said. All of them are still in use.
The district administration has conducted Eid sacrifices, he said, and food support has come in from the upazila administration, union councils and several organisations, he said. This year he plans to celebrate the festival alongside flood victims.
Parts of the Kulaura Municipality were flooded and the water still hasn’t receded in some areas, said Municipal Mayor Shipar Uddin Ahmed. Many flood victims chose to stay in their damaged homes instead of coming to the shelter for help. This year, his constituents will have to live with the difficulties associated with the flooding.
People were brought to 118 shelters in the Moulvibazar, said Deputy Commissioner Mir Nahid Ahsan. Ninety-eight shelters are still operating. Each of these centres will have arrangements for ritual sacrifice, he said.