The Daily Star, August 5, 2008.
Over 35 thousand people living in the Kabodak basin in Tala and Kalaroa upazilas under the district have been passing miserable days for around three weeks as waterlogging continues to worsen with overflowing of riverbanks.
The most affected areas are Sarulia, Dhandia, Kumira, Magura, Jalalpur and Nagarghata in Tala upazila and Deara, Jugikhali, Joynagar and Jalalabad unions in Kalaroa upazila.
Amid severe crisis of food and drinking water, the villagers are leading miserable life as most of the areas are under two to three feet water.
Over 200 homeless families have taken shelter on high lands.
Tube-wells in many villages in the Kabodak basin have been submerged.
Farm labourers are suffering much as most of them have become jobless with inundation of large areas of croplands that hampered Aman cultivation in the area.
Massive siltation and consequent loss of depth in Kabodak River results in serious flooding and waterlogging in the villages on its banks during the rainy season, said Sarulia union parishad Chairman Matiar Rahman.
Stagnant water on a vast swath of land and homesteads poses a serious threat to livelihood and environment and many of the vegetations and wildlife have become extinct in the areas as water-logging has been a problem since early 80s, he said.
“I have taken shelter on a high land as my house is now under three feet water,” Abu Bakkar Siddique, an elderly person of village Sharsha in Tala upazila, told this correspondent.
“Apathy of the Water Development Board and the local administration to take measures for clearing the water has contributed to water-logging,” said Biswas Santosh Kumar, a former chairman of Dhandia union parishad.
During this correspondent’s recent visit to the area, several local people said they could not cultivate Aman crop in this season and it will not be possible to grow winter vegetables if water remains stagnant for another couple of months.
No one has come to help the affected people in the area, said Asadul Moral, Eman Ali and Apu Member.
They urged the authorities to help the affected people immediately.
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