Ekramul Haque received a shocking call from his uncle on August 21, informing him that floodwaters had engulfed their ancestral home in Feni district, near the Indian border in southeastern Bangladesh. Despite living 10km away in Mirsarai with his family, Haque rushed back to his village the next day, only to find knee-deep water had already entered their home. Urging his extended family to join them in Mirsarai, Haque then initiated rescue missions to help other stranded villagers.
Facing impassable roads due to chest-high water, Haque and his friends attempted to construct a makeshift raft from banana trees. When that failed, they eventually hired a boat at a higher cost to navigate through the strong currents. The floodwaters had submerged nearly all the houses in the village, a situation unprecedented for Haque, who grew up in the area.
As the floods continue to wreak havoc across central, eastern, and southeastern Bangladesh, Haque and his team have been tirelessly delivering relief supplies to those stranded in remote areas like his village. The flooding, exacerbated by heavy rainfall and overflowing rivers, has left millions in need of urgent assistance, especially in areas where rescue efforts have been impeded by blocked roads.
The crisis has sparked anti-Indian sentiment in flood-affected regions like Feni, with many blaming India for releasing water from the Dumbur Dam in Tripura without warning. India has denied these allegations, attributing the flooding to excessive rainfall and a breakdown in communication due to a power outage. The lack of timely warnings has further complicated the situation, leading to casualties and widespread damage to homes and crops.
Experts believe that a combination of factors, including unusual rainfall, unplanned urbanisation, and disruptions in river flow, has contributed to the severity of the flooding. With the landscape of Bangladesh accustomed to annual monsoon floods, this year’s crisis has caught many off guard, highlighting the urgent need for improved disaster preparedness and coordination between neighbouring countries to mitigate future disasters.