Desperate times call for desperate measures
Jasim Uddin, a resident of Hakaluki Haor, use to work as a mason before the floods drowned his house. But at present, after losing everything, he rents a boat for Tk 8,000 per month from Bhukshimoil area and rows day and night to earn his bread.
Not just Jasim, but all five of his brothers lost their means of income during the floods. Jasim himself has been a boatman for just six or seven days -- after he realised that if there is no income, his family of 16, won't survive.
Many in his area have two or three boats, which they rent out for Tk 5,000-9,000 per month depending on the size.
This correspondent conversed with a few working residents who have all shifted to rowing boats for a profession. Previously some of them were masons, others were either farmers or power tiller drivers who worked in mills.
Suleman Ahmed, who works at a wood sawing mill, said he rented a boat for Tk 6,000 per month to work since the mill was inundated.
Many places of Hakaluki Haor in three upazilas in Moulvibazar, and two upazilas in Sylhet district roads are still submerged.
This correspondent visited Nawabganj-Kulaura road in Moulvibazar's Kulaura upazila and found five to seven boats floating around. Most of the passengers are people who need to get to one place from another as most roads are still blocked with flood water.
According to locals, Tilakpur, Guptagram, Bhagmatpur and Maintam villages in Kadipur union have been under water for almost 10 days now. Many residents have moved to their relatives' homes since most of the houses are completely submerged.
Shahab Uddin of Guptagram said every day he leaves home with two sets of clothes. He wears his dry set when he gets on the boat and returns home in the clothes that got wet while he was going towards the temporary ferry ghat in Kulaura upazila's Faridpur.
"I've sent my family to a relative's house. Huge snakes are moving around my house due to flood. I'm the only one who lives here now," he said.
Md Harun Mia, former Union Parishad member of Kadipur Union, said, "Government relief here is very low, since most relief is reaching the shelters only."
"Village residents hardly get any support, apart from some relief coming in from affluent people," he added.
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