‘We will keep our votes in pockets but won’t vote for the chairman-members’
The Business Standard’s Masum Billah is on the ground reporting on the flood-hit regions and people of Sylhet. This is an account of a woman who has 22 mouths to feed in her family
Sharufa Begum of Lasolkhal village has 22 members in her family. The flood has snatched away all her belongings. But she didn't receive a single packet of relief because the local leaders told her that she is rich and doesn't need any aid.
When we met Sharufa at her home in Lasokhal village, it was midday. We asked what she had for breakfast.
"Nothing. I had my last meal yesterday morning. Ever since I had nothing," Sharufa said. "They say we are rich people. We don't need relief. All our rice and belongings have flooded away."
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Only one of her neighbours is staying at home in the water. None of the families in Lasokhal village were at home. All had to leave for shelter centres.
Sharufa returned home the day we met after the water receded a bit. However, most of her family members are still at the centre. "There was a flood in 2004. But I have never seen such a flood like this in my life."
Sharifa Begum has two small tin-shed houses.
"Never before flood water reached this house [one of her houses located on higher ground]. But this time waist-deep water flooded this house. The other house was entirely submerged in the water," Sharufa said.
When a flash flood abruptly took over the Lasokhal village like it did with the entire region, she could take nothing except the saree that she was wearing that day.
After spending three days in the wet saree, a woman gave her a saree as she was shivering in the cold.
Sharufa has a big family. One of the family members had a baby a few days ago. She also had to be in the shelter centre.
"If you could see in the shelter centre how people are surviving there, you would feel compassion," Sharufa said.
However, her anger against the local government representative outweighs her sadness and loss. "We voted for you but you didn't come to see us. We will never vote for you again," she told of the local UP chairman and the members.
"They gave rice to other people but they didn't give us anything. We will not vote for members and chairman. We will keep our votes in our pockets," she said.
"They indeed bring aid and give them to their relatives but they give other people nothing. A lot of aid came and they gave it to their own people but nothing to others.
Sacks of chira [flattened rice] came that they gave to others. But I have 22 mouths to feed in my family. They gave us nothing," she added.
