The water level of the Teesta River is rising rapidly due to continuous rainfall and upstream inflows, bringing it dangerously close to the danger mark and raising fears of flooding in five northern districts of Bangladesh.
Amitabh Chowdhury, executive engineer of the Dalia Division of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), said the river was flowing just 13 centimeters below the danger level at the Teesta Barrage Point on Saturday morning.
Water has already started entering low-lying riverbank areas and char lands, inundating many settlements and agricultural fields.
Residents and BWDB officials have expressed concerns over possible flash floods along the Teesta basin in five northern districts—Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Rangpur, and Gaibandha.
BWDB engineers warned that if the current trend continues, the river could cross the danger mark by Sunday morning.
BWDB data showed that at 9am on Saturday, the Teesta River's water level at Doani Teesta Barrage Point in Hatibandha, Lalmonirhat, was recorded at 52.02 meters, compared to the danger level of 52.15 meters. On Friday morning, the water level at the same point stood at 51.64 meters, indicating a rise of 38 centimeters within 24 hours.
To manage the increasing water pressure, all 44 gates of the Teesta Barrage have been opened.
Amitabh Chowdhury said that India has also opened 20 gates of the Gajoldoba Barrage upstream, contributing to the sharp rise in water levels downstream.
Sunil Kumar, Executive Engineer of the Lalmonirhat Water Development Board, said continuous rainfall and runoff from upstream hilly regions were driving the surge in river flow.
“As more water is still coming from upstream, the river level is likely to continue rising. We are closely monitoring the situation,” he said.
Shamsul Haque, a farmer from the Goddimari area of Hatibandha Upazila, said floodwater entered their area early Saturday morning. “If the water rises a little more, a flood situation will develop. The way the river is swelling, flooding could happen at any moment,” he said.
Nazrul Islam, a farmer from Char Shaulmari in Kaliganj Upazila, said his entire char has gone underwater.
“We are still staying in our homes, but if the water rises further, we will have to move to safer places,” he said, adding that although daytime rainfall has been limited, nightly rain and upstream runoff have continued unabated.
Mokbul Hossain, a farmer from the Mahipur char area, fears a major flood along the Teesta this year.
“There are not many standing crops in the fields now, but seedbeds prepared for Aman paddy seedlings have already been submerged,” he said.
Sulaiman Ali of Char Rajpur said various vegetables cultivated on the char lands have been submerged due to the sudden rise in water levels.
Ahsan Habib, Superintending Engineer of the Rangpur Zone Water Development Board, said authorities are monitoring river water levels and erosion along major rivers in the region.
“Although no immediate flood threat has emerged along the Brahmaputra, Dudhkumar, Dharla, Gangadhar, Jinjiram, and Ghaghat rivers, there is a strong possibility of flood along the Teesta basin if water levels continue to rise,” he said.