People inflood-hit Kurigram district are suffering increasingly due to lack of pure drinking water, food and sanitation.
Though water levels of almost all rivers have subsided to a large extent, some are still flowing above the danger mark.
Still two lakh people in nine upazilas of the district are homeless. While some people have taken refuge in a number of temporary shelter homes, others are in makeshift tents on the roadside.
According to the District Relief and Rehabilitation Centre, 1.41 lakh people have been rendered homeless. On the other hand, some 361 shelter homes have been set up in the district.
Some 160 people have taken shelter in three temporary homes in Nageshwari upazila, officials said.
Besides, 325 educational institutions have been closed due to the worsening flood situation in the district.
The government has distributed some relief materials in the flood-affected areas but not enough to cater to the homeless people.
Zohra Khatun, a resident of Bhagabatipur in Sadar upazila, said, “My entire house has gone under water. We are starving.”
Amir Hossain, a resident of Begumganj in Ulipur upazila, said, “My goats and cattle are without food.”
Saidur Rahman, chairman of Bhogdanga union, said 5,841 families under the union have been rendered homeless but only 700 have received relief materials so far.
Abdullah Al Mamun, executive magistrate of Kurigram Water Development Board, said the flood waters have started receding.
The Brahmmaputra river was flowing 53cm above the danger mark at Chilmari point and 19 cm above the red line at Nunkhawa point, while the Dharla river was flowing 41 cm above the danger mark at Setu point.
Rezaul Karim, deputy commissioner of the district, said that already 338 metric tonnes of rice, Tk 16.50 lakh in cash, 1,000 dry food packets, 18.95 lakh baby food packets and fodder worth Tk 17.75 lakh have been allocated for the nine upazilas of the district. “The process to distribute the same is underway.”
