Marooned by flooding, thousands of residents of Sylhet are now facing a food and drinking water shortage.
“The situation in Sylhet is dire. We do not have enough food or drinking water. All our belongings are underwater. We are spending our days sitting on the bed,” said Sanjida Islam, a resident of the city’s Taltola area.
“I have never seen such a flood before. Most areas of the city are inundated. Water is entering people’s homes. Many have been without any food for days,” said Mahbubur Rahman of Sadarpara.
On Saturday, many people were preparing to send foodstuff and water to the worst-hit upazilas by boats.
One of them, Humayun Kabir, said he was doing what he could to help people to the best of his ability in this difficult time.
“People are suffering because of the flood, and many areas have yet to receive any government aid,” he said.
According to meteorologist Saeed Amhed Chowdhury, Sylhet saw 108mm of rainfall in 24 hours to Saturday morning.
Heavy rainfall would continue in the district till Sunday, he said.
The Bangladesh Water Development Board’s Sylhet office said the Surma River was flowing above the danger level at Kanaighat and Sylhet points at 6am on Saturday.
