Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md Nahid Islam on Wednesday urged the mass media to play an effective role to encourage the people to come forward and stand by the flood affected people as the flood situation is worsening in the country.
He made the call in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.
Nahid, also adviser for posts, telecommunications and information technology, urged the media as well to make the people aware against extortion and encroachment.
“No extortionist and encroacher regardless of their political affiliation will be speared,” he said, putting emphasize on publishing news on the matter to make the people vigilant against these social menaces.
Flood situation in Feni, Cumilla, and Noakhali has worsened due to relentless rainfall and a rise in the water level of rivers, leaving over 1.5 million people stranded.
The situation in Habiganj and Moulvibazar has also been deteriorating with the rivers inundating vast tracts of land.
In Feni, Parshuram, Fulgazi, and Chhagalnaiya upazilas are severely affected.
Chhagalnaiya upazila was hit badly last night, with most areas submerged by floodwaters. Rural roads, agricultural fields, and fish ponds went underwater, cutting off essential access and severely impacting livelihoods.
The situation is equally dire in Parshuram, where one person has been reported missing. The Feni-Parshuram regional road is now impassable, and many areas have been without electricity since last night.
In Fulgazi, thousands of people across six unions are stranded. According to Fulgazi Upazila Executive Officer Tania Bhuiyan, the Feni-Bilonia regional highway has been submerged, effectively cutting off road communication between the district headquarters and the upazila.
She added, “Muhuri, Kahua, and Silonia rivers have risen far above the danger level.”
This marks the third flood in the region since July 2.
Parshuram Upazila Executive Officer Afroza Habib said that about 95 percent of the upazila, including the municipality and three unions, is now flooded.
“We have rescued 100 people with the fire service’s help since last night,” she stated, adding that dry food has been distributed to 500 families. She mentioned that they have an additional 500 packets of dry food and 50 tonnes of rice in reserve.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is working to assist the stranded people in these villages.
In Cumilla, water level significantly increased in the Gumti and Muhuri rivers due to heavy rainfall and following the opening of sluice gate at Dumber Lake in Tripura, India.
According to the Cumilla weather office, 320 millimetres of rainfall were recorded in the region over the past four days, with 52 millimetres recorded alone in the last 24 hours still 6:00am today.
Weather Officer Arifur Rahman said, “The rainfall is due to a low pressure over the Bay of Bengal. Continuous rain is expected for the next 72 hours.”
The water level of the Gumti crossed the danger mark last night and is now flowing 10 to 15 centimetres above it. Low-lying areas in Cumilla are already submerged, and crops in the char areas near the riverbed have been inundated, raising concerns of a potential crisis of foodg rains in the early winter season.
The heavy rainfall and overflow from the Gumti have caused flooding in Adarsha Sadar, Burichang, Brahmanpara, Debidwar, and Muradnagar upazilas, according to the Water Development Board.
Residents of Cumilla city, Cantonment, and Adarsha Sadar upazila are on high alert as the Gumti dam faces the risk of breaching or overflowing.
In Noakhali, the situation is similarly grim as floodwaters continue to rise with heavy rainfall and tidal surges.
Over a million people are now stranded, with many areas severely affected.
Kabirhat Upazila Executive Officer Md Sarwar Uddin reported a sharp increase in rainfall and water levels today compared to the previous day.
He said that there will be more rain for the next three to four days, adding that around 2,50,000 people in the upazila are now stranded by the water.
Senbagh upazila is one of the worst-hit areas, particularly in the border-adjacent unions of Chhatar Paiya, Kesharpar, and Nabipur.
Upazila Executive Officer Jisan Bin Majed said, “Around 1,00,000 people in nine unions and the Senbagh municipality are stranded.”
Schools have been converted into shelters to accommodate the displaced.
In Companiganj upazila, approximately 3,00,000 people are stranded across one municipality and eight unions. Upazila Executive Officer Anwar Hossain Patwary noted that the Chhoto Feni river’s water level continues to rise, compounded by heavy rainfall.
“The situation is dire,” he said, adding that 10 metric tonnes of relief rice have been received for distribution.
Begumganj upazila has also been severely impacted, with around one million people affected. Upazila Executive Officer Md Arifur Rahman said that 16 metric tonnes of relief rice are ready for distribution.
Munshi Amir Faisal, WDB executive engineer in Noakhali, reported that the district experienced 1,020 millimetres of rainfall in the past month, the highest in 20 years.
“In just one month, Noakhali has received more than half of the average annual rainfall,” he stated.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Sharmin Ara assured that Tk 8,00,000 in cash and 95 metric tonnes of rice have been allocated for those affected.
“The district administration is working to ensure that no one stays hungry,” she said.
The flood situation has also worsened in Habiganj and Moulvibazar as the Khowai, Kushiyara, Manu, Dhalai, and Juri rivers are overflowing.
Continuous heavy rainfall over the past several days, coupled with runoff from the hills and upstream areas, has led to elevated water levels in all rivers across the district, according to Md Javed Iqbal, executive engineer at the Water Development Board in Moulvibazar.
He has warned that with further rainfall expected, the flood situation may deteriorate even further.
