Homes washed away as cry for relief intensifies
With receding flood water on Thursday, Akkas Ali could finally return from the shelter only to find his home washed away like many others in Sylhet while the desperation for relief keeps on increasing.
"Water is receding alright, but it took everything from us. Now all we have left are clothes," said day labourer Akkas as he was picking up the roofing tin sheets, scattered all over the place.
"There is no work now due to the flood, I am somehow surviving on help from people. I do not know how I can repair the house and where will the money come from," he added.
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Rasel Mia, a stone worker from Naljuri area of Gowainghat, also returned home on Thursday and found his house ravaged damaged.
"The house is now a wreck with knee-high mud inside the rooms. I do not know how I will stay in this house with my wife and children," said Rasel.
"With no work and no money for food even, how do I repair the house," he asked.
According to the district administration, as of Thursday noon a total of 91,623 were still in the shelters while some 1,60,000 left from 614 shelters in 13 upazilas and the Sylhet City Corporation.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Mujibur Rahman said, "We are focusing on relief distribution at the moment. Initiatives to rehabilitate the affected houses will follow after water recedes completely."
People are rushing at sight of relief boats
Families stuck in the middle of haor areas are suffering from food and clean water crisis and they are rushing at sight of relief boats.
In places near the Shah Arefin Tilla on the India border in Kompaniganj, many were seen shouting at relief carrying boats and pleading for relief.
Bashir Miah of Bahadurpur village said, everyone hands out relief along the main road. No one wants to go to remote areas.
North Ranikhai Union Parishad Chairman. Faizur Rahman said, "We have distributed the government allocation and also distributed on our own initiative. We still need more relief."
He added that many people have not received much help so far.
However, Sylhet Deputy Commissioner, Mujibur Rahman said, there is no crisis of relief.
"So far, 1,400 tonnes of rice, 13,000 packets of dry food and Tk 2.04 crore in cash have been distributed in the district. Relief is also being delivered to remote areas," he said.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir slammed the government's response to the flood at a relief distribution function in a remote area of Jaintapur upazila.
"They failed to stand by the flood-hit people. While millions of people were crying out for relief, the Prime Minister had done her job by providing relief to a handful of people," he said.
Inadequate Relief efforts in Habiganj
Countless people in 7 of the 9 upazilas of the district are still suffering due to lack of food. The victims say the relief materials being distributed in the shelters are inadequate.
Although relief activities are being carried out by various social organisations and individuals, it appears the overall relief drive needs to be scaled up.
Meanwhile, the overall flood situation in the district has remained unchanged and water levels continued to rise in the lowlands.
Ajmiriganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sultana Saleha Sumi said the allocation for relief was less than required.
"Hopefully the money allocation will come soon," she said.
Miseries far from over despite receding water in Netrokona
Although flood waters have receded in 10 upazilas of Netrokona, 82,220 families are still waterlogged, according to the district administration.
ML Saikat, executive engineer of the Water Development Board, said that the water level of every river in the district is now decreasing.
Meanwhile, many stranded in their homes have not yet received any relief, despite some relief items reaching shelters.
Akash Sarkar of Vallabhipur village in Khaliajuri's Nagar Union said 60-70 families in the village were affected by the flood. But so far only six families have received relief.
Deputy Commissioner Anjana Khan Majlish said 372 tonne rice, Tk11 lakh in cash and 4,600 packets of dry food had been distributed in flood-hit areas by Wednesday.
1,000 houses washed away
Netrokona's Rangchhati, Kharnai, Lengura in Kalmakanda Upazila, Chandigarh in Durgapur Upazila and several other villages in Gaokandia Union were devastated by the floods caused by the onrush of upstream waters.
The UNOs of the two upazilas said the onrush destroyed some 1,000 houses.
Prabhati Hajong of Dharapara village in Rangchhati said, "I have seen many onrush streams but never in 68 years of my life have I seen such a devastating one."
Netrokona District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Muhammad Ruhul Amin said, "Currently we are working to distribute relief to the flood victims. People who have lost their houses will also be rehabilitated and work to gather information from the field level is already in progress."
