In the ongoing month of August, floods occurred in several hilly districts of Bangladesh including Chittagong, Bandarban, Khagrachari and Cox's Bazar due to heavy rains.
Before overcoming the threat of floods in the southern region of the country, new threats have arisen from floods and landslides in the hilly districts.
Meanwhile, for the past few days, the water in the northern part of the country has been rising due to the influence of water running down the mountain slopes and heavy rains.
Water in the Teesta River is rising and flowing 41cm above the danger line. As a result, Rajarhat of Kurigram, and some union villages of Ulipur have been submerged in water.
Millions of people in Rangpur and Lalmonirhat have been affected by floods due to the rise in Teesta water, especially in the low-lying villages.
This is not the first time in these areas of the northern region. The region is prone to flooding almost every year. However, due to the construction of flood control dams in many areas, floods are no longer as severe as before.
However, the flood control embankments along Teesta River have broken in many areas due to inundation this year. As a result, the flood water is entering the cropland and locality through these areas.
In this regard, Minhajul Islam, a member of Gharialanganga Union Parishad of Rajarhat, told the UK-based media BBC Bangla that more than 200 houses have been submerged due to the flood water entering their area after the dam broke. Residents have taken shelter in local schools.
The flood situation in Rangpur and Lalmonirhat has further worsened due to the rise in Teesta River.
That water is now coming down the slopes due to heavy rainfall especially in northern parts of India. As a result, the river water has flowed over the danger zone and flooded the surrounding areas.
However, the officials said that there is no risk of deterioration of the flood situation in the northern region for the next two days as there is little chance of heavy rainfall.
Sardar Uday Raihan, executive engineer of the Bangladesh Flood Warning Centre, told BBC Bangla: “Though the water level of the Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers has increased slightly, the water of the Ganges-Padma rivers is stable. The water level of Teesta river is decreasing. We are expecting no more heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours and the flood situation in Lalmonirhat and Rangpur to improve.”
However, heavy rainfall is predicted in Chittagong and Sylhet regions.
According to the forecast of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, the water level of Surma, Kushiara, Manu, Khowai, Someswari and Jadukata, Sarigoin rivers may rise during the next 24 hours due to heavy rainfall in the north-east region.
In case of heavy rains in Meghalaya and Assam, that water will also flow through the river through Bangladesh.
What is the reason?
In many areas of Kurigram, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Sirajganj in the northern part of Bangladesh, major floods are seen every one or two years.
Although various projects or initiatives have been taken to prevent the flood there, the situation could not be completely prevented. Every year, crop lands in these areas are flooded and damaged.
BBC Bangla recently spoke with Professor AKM Saiful Islam from the Institute of Water and Flood Management at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) to gain insights into the frequent occurrences of flooding in the region. Professor Islam highlighted numerous contributing factors behind these incidents.
He stated: “Several factors play a role. Firstly, the navigability of the rivers is diminishing, and shoals have formed in various locations. During the dry season, some river sections are so shallow that one can practically walk across them. However, come monsoon, over 100,000 cusecs of water rush downstream from the upper reaches.”
“Notably, India withdraws water from these rivers during dry periods and releases it during the monsoon. This practice can alter the river's course, leading to breaches on both sides and consequent flooding during periods of minimal rainfall or rising river water levels."
In addition, mining activities are taking place upstream along rivers like Brahmaputra and Teesta. This results in the introduction of substantial amounts of silt, sand, or stones into the watercourse. These materials are carried downstream, complicating the situation even if dredging efforts are employed.
Professor Saiful Islam added: "Reservoir construction is happening extensively, causing rivers' natural channels to narrow due to pollution and encroachment. Furthermore, during instances of unusually heavy rainfall, water struggles to exit swiftly, leading to inundation. Similar events occurred in Chittagong, Bandarban, and Sylhet last year. In Sylhet, the excess rainfall overwhelmed the river's capacity to drain, causing water to spread into surrounding regions."
He emphasized that addressing this issue requires focusing on safeguarding river navigability, preventing pollution, and curbing encroachment.
