Flooding worsens in dists, casualties rising

Floodwaters continued inundating parts of seven districts across Bangladesh on Saturday, claiming 40 lives and leaving hundreds of thousands of people stranded, as four rivers remain in spate amid forecasts of more heavy rain in the southeast.
The deluge has wreaked havoc across Chattagram, Cox's Bazar, the three hill districts, and parts of Sylhet, damaging crops in vast areas of cropland and disrupting communications. According to the Department of Disaster Management, the death toll in the flood-hit districts has reached 40 so far.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) on Saturday said flooding continued in low-lying areas of the southeastern river basins due to persistent monsoon rainfall and runoff from upstream catchments in India.
Water levels in several rivers remained above or close to the danger mark, although the Jamuna and Ganges were still flowing below danger level.
According to the FFWC, the Sangu, Matamuhuri, Khowai, and Muhuri rivers were flowing above the red marks at six monitoring stations on Saturday morning.
The Khowai River at Balla is the most critical, surging nearly 1.9 metres above the danger level. Water levels in the Sangu and Matamuhuri are apprehended to remain high throughout the day.
Several other rivers were also approaching the danger mark, including the Teesta at Dalia, Kaunia and Tarapur, the Surma at Kanaighat, Chhatak and Sunamganj, the Kushiyara at Sherpur, the Someshwari at Kolmakanda and the Little Feni at Companiganj.
Overall, water levels are rising at 79 of the country's 127 river -monitoring stations, falling at 43 and steady at five.
FFWC Executive Engineer Sardar Uday Raihan says, "Rainfall over the southeastern and northeastern regions had eased during the past 24 hours compared with the previous two days, providing some relief."
However, he warns that heavy- to very-heavy rainfall is still likely over Chattagram and adjoining southeastern districts during the next 24 hours, leaving little room for any immediate improvement in flood conditions.
"Flash-floods may also develop in Feni," he adds.
The FFWC is also monitoring the Teesta basin, where water levels continue to rise. The river could cross the danger level at several stations within the next 48 hours if heavy upstream rainfall persists, it forecasts.
Tarique Rahman chairs BNP Standing
Committee meeting on flood situation
UNB adds: BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday evening chaired a meeting of the party's highest policy-making body, the National Standing Committee, to discuss the country's flood situation.
The meeting began around 8:00pm at the BNP Chairman's Gulshan political office, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.
Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku and Selima Rahman were present at the meeting.
HSC exams in Ctg suspended until July 16
Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations under the Chattagram education board have been suspended until July 16 due to adverse weather and the ongoing flood situation.
Prof Syed Akhtaruzzaman, chairman of the Dhaka Intermediate and Secondary Education Board, confirmed the decision to bdnews24.com on Saturday.
Govt launches extensive flood response campaign
BSS adds: Prime Minister's Office (PMO) spokesperson Mahdi Amin on Saturday said the government has launched a coordinated nationwide response campaign to address the impact of heavy rainfall, floods, landslides and waterlogging, with rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts being carried out simultaneously under the Prime Minister's direct supervision.
Speaking at a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Amin said the Prime Minister has been monitoring the situation around the clock and has directed all relevant ministries, local administrations and law enforcement agencies to remain alongside the affected communities.
He said the worst-hit areas are the five districts of Chattogram Division-Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban-where widespread flooding, landslides and waterlogging have caused severe hardship for residents.
According to the spokesperson, the Prime Minister has already held meetings with Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Superintendents of Police (SPs), Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), divisional commissioners, Civil Surgeons, Fire Service officials and other local authorities from the affected districts.
During the meetings, he instructed officials to ensure uninterrupted rescue operations and provide maximum support to affected people.
Army deployed to tackle floods in Ctg
bdnews24.com adds: The government has deployed the Army in Chattogram to "help the civil administration" tackle the ongoing floods that have affected more than 750,000 people in the district.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a message on Friday night that the deployment followed an "urgent request" from the Chattogram district administrator (DC).
Bridge collapses, cutting off Rangamati-Bandarban road link
UNB adds: Road communication between Rangamati and Bandarban has been suspended after a bridge collapsed under the impact of strong currents caused by heavy rainfall and flash floods from upstream, officials and locals said on Saturday.
Days of torrential rain and hill runoff first breached the embankment of a rubber dam in the Dudhpukuria area of Sukhbilash under Padua union in Rangunia upazila of Chattogram, inundating vast surrounding areas and causing widespread suffering.
BMD forecasts more rain
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) forecast rain or thundershowers across much of the country over the next 24 hours, with moderate to heavy rainfall expected in many places under the influence of an active monsoon.
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