By Asif Showkat Kallol (Dhaka Bureau)
A catastrophic flood crisis is rapidly unfolding across Bangladesh, driven by relentless monsoon downpours and unprecedented upstream hill runoff. In a matter of days, breached embankments and overflowing river basins have submerged entire districts, leaving hundreds of thousands of people stranded, compounding food insecurity, and cutting off vital regional infrastructure.
With the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours, humanitarian agencies and local volunteer networks are rushing to deploy emergency aid to increasingly isolated populations.
The Human Face of the Crisis
The human toll of the deluge is mounting daily. In the northeastern district of Moulvibazar, an elderly man was tragically found dead inside his flooded home, unable to escape the rapidly rising waters that trapped him overnight. In the coastal region of Cox’s Bazar, a 12-year-old girl drowned when a boat evacuating residents to a shelter capsized in turbulent currents. Meanwhile, in Chattogram’s Banshkhali upazila, an eight-year-old boy was swept away and drowned in the floodwaters.
Beyond the immediate fatalities, the crisis has trapped thousands of families inside waterlogged homes. As prolonged inundation paralyzes daily life, the desperation of the affected populations is growing. In several isolated communities, stranded residents have issued urgent pleas to local authorities, stating simply: ‘Can we get a little rice? The children are crying.’
Infrastructure Collapse and Displacement
The relentless volume of water has placed immense structural pressure on the country’s flood-control systems.
* Moulvibazar & Habiganj: Major breaches along the Manu, Dhalai, and Khowai rivers have completely submerged at least 25 villages, marooning more than 45,000 people. Powerful currents have swept away vital agricultural fields, local roads, and culverts, leaving families stranded alongside their livestock.
* Sunamganj: Torrential rains in India’s Cherrapunji and Mawsynram- some of the wettest places on earth- have caused a massive surge in the Jadukata, Patlai, Noljur, and Kushiyara rivers. The Sunamganj-Tahirpur highway is currently underwater, forcing vehicles to navigate dangerous, fast-moving currents.
* The Northern Frontier: Further north, the Teesta River has risen three centimeters above its danger level, fueled by heavy rains and inflows from India’s Gazoldoba barrage. Hundreds of families in the low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat now face imminent displacement as embankments come under severe strain.
Growing Concerns Over Food Security and Sanitation
As the waters refuse to recede, a secondary humanitarian crisis is emerging in the form of acute food insecurity and deteriorating public health.
On the remote Monpura Island in Bhola, nearly 20,000 residents have been trapped for eight consecutive days under up to four feet of water. With low-income households exhausting their remaining provisions, the demand for rice, lentils, dry food, and safe drinking water has reached critical levels. Health officials are also warning of an impending rise in waterborne diseases due to compromised sanitation infrastructure.
Concurrently, the economic lifeline of the rural population has been severed. In districts like Jhalakathi, expansive agricultural fields remain completely submerged, bringing farm labor to a standstill and leaving thousands of daily wage earners without a source of income.
A Grassroots and Institutional Response
In response to the emergency, a massive mobilization of institutional and grassroots aid is underway. In Sunamganj district alone, authorities have established 1,311 emergency shelters. Over 1,200 local volunteers have mobilized alongside international and national humanitarian organizations- including BRAC and the Red Crescent Society- to distribute stockpiled emergency food, clean water, and essential medicines.
However, rescue and relief operations face immense logistical hurdles. Landslides have severed road links between the hilly districts of Bandarban and Rangamati, while both road and river transport across large swaths of Cox’s Bazar and Habiganj remain entirely disrupted.
The Outlook: Fresh Threats on the Horizon
According to forecasters at the FFWC, the crisis is far from over. While water levels are slowly beginning to recede in parts of Bandarban’s Sangu and Matamuhuri river basins, heavy rainfall expected over the next 24 to 48 hours poses a fresh threat to Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Chattogram divisions.
Rising waters in the Gomti, Muhuri, Feni, Selonia, and Halda rivers are expected to trigger new flooding in Feni, Chattogram, and Khagrachhari, while low-lying areas of Lakshmipur and Noakhali remain at extreme risk. As climate-induced weather anomalies continue to intensify across South Asia, the immediate focus remains on preventing further loss of life and ensuring that relief reaches the most isolated corners of the delta.
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The Writer:
Asif Showkat Kallol: Works for the German-based online outlet The Mirror Asia as Head of News and is a Contributor at Pressenza-Dhaka Bureau.
