Following the past three days’ incessant rain, homes built under the Ashrayan Project in Hnila union of Cox’s Bazar Teknaf upazila have been flooded.
Most of the families who had moved to the houses recently had to leave for higher grounds.
A total of 28 houses were handed over to the homeless near the coastal embankment road east of Moulvibazar in the Hnila union, which have now all been flooded.
Locals say the entire region was flooded as the sluice-gate along the coastal embankment road remained closed for a long time to protect the interests of “a syndicate of unscrupulous salt farmers”.
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Samira Begum, a beneficiary of the Ashrayan project in Hnila union, said: “I have been waterlogged for two days and I have been getting food and water by boat.”
“Meanwhile, no one showed up with any assistance. All but four of the 28 families who used to live here have relocated,” she added.
“More than 500 people have become waterlogged,” said resident Amin Hossain. He added that there was a shortage of drinking water and other basic necessities there.
Hnila Union Parishad Chairman Rashed Mahmud Ali said, “Local homes including the Ashrayan project houses have been inundated due to the closed sluice-gate along the embankment. The floodwater has not been rising since the rain stopped.”
Speaking on the matter, Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Mamunur Rashid said: “We are working on the sluice-gate issue along the coastal embankment. We are also executing plans to keep the water from becoming stagnant.”
