Kurigram: The intensity of flood water has increased to a such extent that more than 300 families have been forced to live on boats throughout the day and night. One Mariam Begum, 40 of Char Mashal of Begumganj union under Ulipur upazilla along with her two kids and six other family members are now living on boat like other three hundred families before twelve days when flood water entered their houses and flooded the bed.
These people with untold sufferings are now lying on boat, cook food, dine their and also getting their toilets on the boat.
After visiting the area it was found that all the high lands and embankments have gone under water. So the people finding no other alternatives have set their families on small boats. As the flood has lingered for long time their sufferings are aggravating. They are facing cooking problem because the fuel wood stock have been submerged. So they are not getting their food cooked on time. Somehow and other they are managing to survive.
The food stock has also exhausted. However some families got 8-10 kgs. of rice as relief through union parishad. But the larger number did not get this relief. On the other hand as the boat is used for living, fishing is also halted making their income suspends. As there is no alternative they cannot go to the market to purchase fuel wood and rice.
It is further learnt that due to long staying on boat the children have been attacked with diarrhea, fever and other water borne diseases. If the water does not recede at an early the problems of suffering from diseases and food will be compounded.
Union Parishad member of Char Mashal Abu Bakkar Siddik told bartatwentyfour. com that as there is no high land in this area, the people have taken shelter on boats. It is such a living that if everybody does not alert enough all the time then accident may occur any time including drowning of children while asleep. Most of the boat living people have been given 10 kgs. of rice. When fresh allotment arrives then those who did not get in the first installment, they will be given.
Begumganj union parishad Chairman Md. Belal Hossain told bartatwentyfour.com that at least six hundred families in this union have taken shelters on small boats. Of them there are more than three hundred people of Char Mashal. They are making their all daily works on the boat. Those who have no boat they have taken shelters either on available high land at far or in the house of any relative. As no sufficient relief goods were received so all could not be provided with relief goods, he added.