Floods triggered by heavy rainfall have submerged the entire Sylhet division, leaving thousands of people stranded. According to the media, most of them have been waiting to be rescued from floodwater for the past few days. But their relatives and volunteers are finding it difficult to make the rescue trips by boat due to excessive fares. Boatmen are asking Tk 20,000 or more for a day's trip. Relief work is being hampered much due to exorbitant boat fares. People are unable to find boats in some places, too.
Reports from the region paint a grim picture: a vast number of roads, houses and croplands inundated, people either trapped in water or taking shelter in the flood centres, poor access to food and other basic necessities, schools closed or converted into shelters, and no electricity in flood-hit areas. Candles are being sold at Tk 100 apiece. The suffering that all this has caused is hard to describe. In this dire situation, people from all walks of life should come forward and stand by the flood-hit people with whatever they have. The authorities concerned must ensure that no one remains stranded in floodwater. We must realise that it is an emergency situation.
Afroza Sheikh,
Dania, Dhaka,
ilcbd2008@gmail.com
Standing by flood-hit people
FE Team | Published: June 18, 2022 20:58:32
Standing by flood-hit people
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