Unrelenting rainfall over several days, combined with a sudden surge of hill runoff, has caused the Maharshi River to overflow and breach its embankment at Jhenaigati upazila of Sherpur district.
The resulting flash flood has swept away homes of at least 11 families, leaving them homeless and destitute.
These families, having lost everything, have now taken temporary shelter in a local school for children with disabilities.
Among the tragedies emerging from the disaster is the drowning of Md Ismail Hossain, 17.
The teenager went missing while attempting to retrieve a log floating down the river.
His body was discovered early Friday morning near the broken embankment at Khailkura and he was later laid to rest.
Later that afternoon, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Ashraful Alam Rasel visited the family and provided Tk 25,000 in emergency assistance on behalf of the administration.
The embankment breach occurred around 1:30 PM on Thursday near the Khailkura bridge, flooding low-lying areas across at least ten villages.
As the river’s water level rose rapidly, floodwaters entered the main market area of Jhenaigati municipality, causing widespread destruction to homes, businesses and farmland.
In just a matter of moments, at least 11 families saw their homes swept away.
Several electricity poles collapsed and more than 50 fish enclosures were destroyed.
Floodwaters fully submerged 345 hectares of Aman paddy fields and 10 hectares of vegetable farms, while another 575 hectares of paddy and 25 hectares of vegetables were partially inundated. Entire livelihoods were lost in a single day.
Standing in despair at the edge of broken embankment, Rahima Begum, a widow from Khailkura, tearfully described her losses.
She said that everything her forefathers had built was gone; her home, her furniture, her land and her crops. Having already suffered from floods three times in the past two years, this most recent disaster has left her with nothing but the clothes she was wearing.
Her only source of income had been working on other people’s land and doing daily wage labour, but now even that is uncertain.
Local business owners have also suffered heavily. According to Md. Mokhlesur Rahman Khan, president of local business association, the town’s main market gets flooded every year during monsoon season due to rise of the Maharshi River. This year was no exception. Many shops were inundated and large quantities of goods were destroyed.
He demanded the construction of a permanent embankment along the river, elevation of shop floors and a sustainable drainage system to prevent recurring damage.
Locals have expressed frustration at authorities for ignoring earlier warnings.
They stated that the same embankment had collapsed in 2022, but no repairs were made, despite repeated requests to Water Development Board. As feared, the same location gave way again, leading to this devastating outcome.
Md. Akhinuzzaman, Executive Engineer of Sherpur Water Development Board, stated that the proposal for constructing a permanent embankment has already been submitted to higher authorities and that necessary steps are being initiated.
Meanwhile, Jhenaigati Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Ashraful Alam Rasel confirmed that water levels in the river have begun to recede as rainfall subsides.
He said that damage assessment is ongoing and that government relief efforts are being mobilized.
He assured that all affected families would receive assistance and that the administration is doing its utmost to stand by them during this difficult time.
JHM/SH
