In a struggle for survival, hundreds of flood-affected families from the Pratapnagar union of Assasuni upazila are leaving behind their homes to find refuge in the high grounds of Satkhira district town.
On a recent visit to the Pratapnagar union, it became quickly evident to a correspondent reporting from the region as to why so many families were compelled to leave.
A vast area of the coastal region was completely inundated by tidal surges triggered by the landfall of cyclone Yaas in the eastern Indian state of Odisha on May 26.
Although Deputy Commissioner SM Mostafa Kamal visited the area over a week ago, he could not give any assurance as to when a sustainable embankment would be constructed.
He said that he would press the authorities concerned to get the repair works on the collapsed embankment to start as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, in response to not having received any concrete guarantees, people who already became homeless found no better survival options other than to move towards the district town.
However, there were some who could not afford the move to town and were left to take shelter on fishing boats and embankments with their families.
Contacted, Pratapnagar Union Chairman Sheikh Zakir Hossain said around 40,000 flood-affected people of the union were currently facing uncertainties over the safety of their lives and property.
“The flood came at a time when these people were still recuperating from the trail of destruction left behind by last year’s cyclone Amphan,” he added.
He also said that even though over a week had passed, the Water Development Board did not yet take an initiative to rebuild the embankment.
Speaking to locals, they said while it was true that the UP chairman did distribute some relief materials among the flood-affected people, not all were fortunate enough to receive the aid that was intended to alleviate their suffering following the disaster.
To make matters worse, several so-called private aid organizations allegedly thronged to the affected region only to receive media coverage.
They soon left reportedly after taking photos of them distributing small portions of dry foods among the destitute.
In reality, they did not want to understand the suffering of helpless people, they added.
The flood-affected people don’t have access to drinking water, let alone ways to cook food or to maintain hygiene and sanitation. They consider themselves lucky if they are able to have only one hot meal per day.
An elderly woman from Pratapnagar said: “We have spent a week on fishing boats and eating dry foods. I’ve left behind everything and I am trying to survive with some help. I was once financially covalent but like many others hit by repeated disasters, I am also now destitute. Hundreds of families have lost their homes overnight
“Now, the coastal people only demand a sustainable embankment. There is no alternative to building sustainable embankments to protect this union.”
