RANGPUR, June 21, 2022 (BSS) - Flood situation worsened in five northern
districts despite little reduction in the rate of onrushing water from
upstream in the last 24 hours marooning over two lakh people so far in the
Brahmaputra basin.

Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said major rivers were
flowing above danger marks at 10 points of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur,
Bogura and Sirajganj districts at 9 am today.
 
Water levels of major rivers marked rises at a comparatively lower rate
during the last 24 hours inundating some fresh low-lying areas.
 
The Dharla was flowing above danger marks by 42cm at Kurigram and Ghagot by
37cm at Gaibandha points during the same period.
 
The Brahmaputra was flowing above danger marks by 23cm at Noonkhawa, 107cm at
Hatia, 57cm at Chilmari and 58cm at Fulchhari points.
 
The Jamuna was flowing above danger marks by 55cm at Bahadurabad, 59cm at
Sariakandi, 50cm at Kazipur and 49cm at Sirajganj points at 9 am today.
 
Due to falls in water levels during the last 24 hours, the Dudhkumar was
flowing below danger marks by 16 cm at Pateshwari and Teesta was flowing at
its danger marks at Dalia and below danger marks by 10cm at Kawnia points.
 
According to a bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of
BWDB, the recorded rainfall during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today was
164mm at Cherrapunji and 57mm at Pasighat points of the northwestern Indian
states.
 
There are less possibly of heavy rainfall inside Bangladesh and different
adjoining Indian states in upstream regions during the next 24 hours.
 
"Flood situation in Kurigram, Gaibandha and Jamalpur districts may remain
steady while in Bogura, Sirajganj and Tangail districts may deteriorate
slightly in the next 24 hours," the bulletin added.
 
Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Engineer Muhammad Amirul Haque
Bhuiyan and his senior officials are regularly visiting flood-hit areas and
monitoring the situation alongside major rivers in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat,
Nilphamari, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts.
 
"Flood control embankments and structures are remaining safe in Rangpur zone
of the BWDB across Rangpur division," Engineer Bhuiyan said.
 
Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension for Rangpur
region Agriculturist Md. Emdad Hossain Sheikh said floodwater has so far
submerged standing crops on 15,697 hectares of land in low-lying areas of
Rangpur agriculture region alone.
 
The submerged standing crops include Aman rice seedbeds on 503 hectares of
land, vegetables on 1,559 hectares, Aush rice on 3,016 hectares, groundnut on
138 hectares, Jute on 10,083 hectares and other crops on 3958 hectares of
land.
 
"The inundated crops would not be damaged if the floodwater receded within
three to four days of submergence," he said, adding that steps are being
taken to face the situation if the deluge was prolonged and standing crops
damaged," Hossain said.
 
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) of worst flood-hit Kurigram
district Abdul Hye Sarker said deluge situation is still deteriorating but at
lower rate following reduction in the rate of onrushing water from upstream
since yesterday.
 
"Some 1,41,612 people of 354,400 families in 319 villages of 49 unions under
all nine upazilas in the district have so far been marooned during the
current deluge," he said.
 
The district administration through all nine upazila administrations and
public representatives continues distributing 338 tonnes of rice, Taka 16.50
lakh and 1,000 packets of dry foods among flood-hit people of the badly-
affected flood-hit district.
 
Besides, distribution of baby foods worth Taka 18 lakh and fodders of cattle
heads worth Taka 17.75 lakh also continues among flood affected people of the
district where 85 medical teams are providing health services to the flood-
hit people.
 
"Due to floods, academic activities have been suspended at 325 educational
institutions including 294 primary schools, 23 secondary school, seven
madrasahs and a college in the district," the DRRO added.
 
Divisional Commissioner Md. Abdul Wahhab Bhuiyan said rescue and relief
operations are continuing in the affected areas to assist flood-hit people in
deluge-affected districts of Rangpur division.