Couldn’t stop tearing up while helping flood victims: Airin Sultana

Film actress Airin Sultana made her silver screen debut with the film "Bhalobasha Zindabad" in 2013. Since then, she has been consistent on screen, appearing in around a dozen movies already, with several more slated for future release.

Airin is, however, currently in Noakhali, where she arrived yesterday with a team of five people to distribute necessary relief materials to the flood-affected community. They used boats to deliver aid door-to-door all day.

Regarding her desire to help the communities in turmoil, the actress said, "We transported the relief supplies in a pickup truck and then travelled by boat to a village in Begumganj, Noakhali. We managed to reach over 200 homes that way."

"I was devastatingly moved having witnessed the desperate situation of the flood-hit people there. I was brought to tears upon visiting them and found it incredibly difficult to remain composed in the face of such helplessness. I hope to return to help them in more ways," she expressed.

Airin and a few of her friends pooled together funds to purchase the daily necessities. She said, "I have assisted as much as I could at TSC's fund pooling too. However, I felt a strong urge to go to the flood victims and help them myself. I am committed to supporting them, which is why I travelled to Noakhali."

When asked about the extent of the hardship she faced in visiting the flooded region, Airin replied that flood victims' suffering far outweighed her own. "They have been stranded because of the flood water for several days, whereas I was there helping for just one day," she said.

Airin notably shared an anecdote and mentioned that when she visited a house, she found two elderly people who hadn't rushed to a secure place, "When I asked them why they hadn't moved, they simply said they had no other place to go to aside from their flooded home. I was deeply crushed by their situation and facial expressions."

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She further shared, "I might have taken a risk and waded through waist-deep water to deliver food to their homes, but as someone who is aware of their plight, I felt it was important to support them. If the flood-affected people are tolerating so much, surely we can endure a day of discomfort to help as much as possible."

In response to being asked whether she was recognised for the silver screen heroine that she is, she answered, "When I arrived at the spot where people gathered to cook for everyone, many people recognised me. However, everyone is preoccupied with finding safe shelter. It is still unfortunately uncertain when they will be able to return to normal life."

She concluded the brief chat over the phone, by conveying, "Everyone should support the flood victims, as they are facing significant hardship."