Hit by flood, a subdued Durga Puja in Jashore’s Bhabadah

For over four consecutive months, residents of the flood-prone Bhabadah region of Jashore have lived in relentless hardship, trapped by stagnant water with no sign of relief. Crops have rotted and homes are submerged. Yet amidst the despair, the spirit of Durga Puja endures, but in a subdued and scaled-down form.

Despite grappling with hardship and displacement, many families are determined to observe the annual Sharadiya Durga Utsab, clinging to tradition even as joy remains elusive.

There will not be any grandeur, but the worship at puja mandaps will continue on a limited scale, local residents said.

In Hindu-majority Bhabadah, Durga Puja has traditionally been celebrated with grandeur for generations. The festival began quietly yesterday with the Shasthi Puja. According to the District Puja Celebration Council, 706 mandaps across Jashore are holding Durga Puja this year, including 30 in the Bhabadah region.

This time, the area revealed a stark contrast with previous years. Homes showed no signs of festive preparation. A few mandaps had idols installed, but decorative gates and lighting were noticeably missing.

"At Sundoli Sarbajanin Durga Mandir in Abhaynagar, the temple grounds were submerged just a week ago," said Ujjwal Biswas, president of the temple committee.

"We raised the ground with sand just to hold the rituals. But there's no celebration. People are struggling to survive. Many couldn't contribute donations, so the celebration is minimal this year," he added.

Gauri Biswas, a resident of Dumurtola, say survival has overtaken celebration.

"We can't even stay in our own home. How can we think of festivals?" she asked. "Right now, our only worry is finding two meals a day. Still, I will go to the mandap once to pray to the Goddess for relief."

Dipankar Das Ratan, president of the Puja Celebration Parishad, echoed the sentiment, "There is no festive spirit in Bhabadah this year. People are trying to survive. While the government has provided some support, urgent action is needed for water removal."

The Bhabadah region spans parts of Jashore's Abhaynagar, Manirampur, and Keshabpur upazilas, as well as Dumuria and Fultola in neighbouring Khulna. Over the years, silt accumulation in key rivers -- Mukteshwari, Teka, Shree, and Hari -- has choked natural drainage. With no outflow through the rivers, the region remains submerged.

More than 200 villages are affected. Crop fields lie underwater, and entire communities have been forced to live in knee-deep water for months.

Palash Kumar Banerjee, executive engineer of the Jashore Water Development Board, acknowledged the ongoing crisis but claimed progress is being made.

"Compared with last year, the waterlogging is less severe," he said. "To address the situation, the army will soon begin re-excavating five rivers in the Bhabadah region. Some work is already underway to ease flooding ahead of the puja."