Lalmonirhat flood victims struggle to make ends meet

The flood affected victims of Lalmonirhat have very little to look forward to this Eid. Many have lost their homes and source of income and are struggling to make ends meet.

The flood victims of 108 villages of 27 unions in five upazilas of the districts are unable to even buy food let alone new dresses or sacrificial cattle.

Most of these people have lost their homes, croplands and domestic animals in the recent floods and are yet to get back to normalcy.

Several flood victims said they are waiting for help from government and non-government organisations to buy food and other things to celebrate Eid with their family.

“I’m not able to purchase any new clothes for our three children this Eid. I cannot even buy good food and other essentials for the festival,” said Abdul Quader, 48, a flood victim living in Kalmati village in Teesta River basin area of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Flood hit Kulsum Bewa, 62, from the same upazila said her family had to evacuate their house and go take shelter on the elevated road for nearly 16 days just last month.

Meanwhile flood victim Idris Ali, 45 of Gaddimari village in Hatibandha upazila was rendered jobless from July 9 to 30 and only got back to work on July 31.

Chairman of Teesta River basin flood affected Rajpur union parishad in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, Mofazzal Hossain Mofa told the Daily Star many of the people in this area will have no reason to celebrate Eid following the devastation of the floods.

The government has allocated 73,843 VGF (vulnerable group feeding) cards among ultra-poor families in 45 unions and two municipalities under five upazilas of the district ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and each card holder will be given 15 kg of rice, said District Relief and Rehabilitation Office (DRRO) Ali Haider.

However, no special allocation has been allocated to help the flood-hit people in char areas to celebrate the festival, he added.