Dhaka: Heavy monsoon rains have caused floods and landslides in southeastern Bangladesh, resulting in at least 44 fatalities and leaving over a million people stranded. Authorities hurried to provide aid to the most affected areas on Saturday.
The disaster management ministry reported that flooding impacted seven districts: Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Moulvibazar, and Habiganj. Daily life has been severely disrupted, isolating many families and affecting around 267,918 households.
Power cuts, damaged roads, and broken communication lines have hampered rescue operations. Many residents are unable to prepare meals as their homes remain submerged, while others face challenges due to layers of mud in their kitchens and living areas.
Nurul Islam, a resident from Chattogram, shared, “Our home is still flooded, and we can’t cook. Our dry food is finished, and we spend the nights in darkness with our children because there is no electricity.”
Thousands of families have turned to dry food options—like flattened rice, puffed rice, and biscuits that need no cooking—as they await emergency assistance. However, damaged roads and bridges have made it challenging for aid workers to reach those in dire need.
To assist isolated communities, army and navy personnel are using boats to deliver food, clean water, medicines, and essential supplies as relief efforts ramp up.
“The government is doing everything it can to support the affected communities. We are providing relief, safe drinking water, and medical supplies, and we urge those whose homes are flooded to move to nearby shelters,” said Disaster Management and Relief Minister Iqbal Hossain during a visit to the impacted areas.
The heavy rainfall also caused landslides in Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar earlier this week, resulting in the deaths of 16 refugees, including women and children. More than one million Rohingya refugees live in these camps, where makeshift shelters on steep, deforested hillsides are particularly vulnerable during the monsoon.
Bangladesh is known for being prone to natural disasters, with seasonal monsoon rains often leading to floods, river erosion, and landslides. Experts indicate that climate change is intensifying rainfall, making such disasters more frequent and severe.
