As flood worsens, food crisis mounts

Hundreds of families in Kurigram's shoal areas have been facing untold sufferings amid deteriorating flood situation.

In Uttar Ramana village within Brahmaputra's shoal under Chilmari upazila, all 240 families were compelled to leave their homes, submerged under floodwaters, with their belongings and domestic animals to shelter on an embankment of Bangladesh Water Development Board since July 2.

Inadequate relief assistance means many families are grappling with an acute crisis of food. The children and elderly among them have been suffering the most. Many school-goers have been unable to study, having lost their books and study materials in floodwater.

"Since the flood began, my father has been unable to find work, so we don't have enough food. We are mainly surviving on dry food like puffed rice, that too barely for one meal a day. I can't study either as my books and study materials were lost," said Rumana Akhter, 11.

Nirab Islam, 8, and Khushi Akhter, 11, echoed her.

"We are grappling with food shortage. I have no work now due to the flood situation. I can't afford to buy food, and kerosene oil or candles. We are spending our nights inside this polythene-wrapped shanty amid darkness, with floodwater raging around us," said Khushi's father Faridul Islam.

The scenario is same for 350 shoal villages under nine upazilas in the district.

The local authorities are working to provide continuous support to the flood-affected people in the district. However, it has become apparent that the relief assistance for the people has been much less than required.

Meanwhile, Brahmaputra was still flowing 31cm above danger level yesterday noon while water levels of Dudhkumar and Dharla rivers went below danger level by 8cm and 5cm respectively, according to BWDB sources in Kurigram.

"Many schools are now closed due to flooding. The affected students will be enlisted once the schools reopen. New books and study materials will be provided to the students who lost those in floodwater," said Nibez Uddin Sarkar, district primary education officer in Kurigram.