Monsoon rains have caused severe flooding across Bangladesh, stranding nearly three million people, resulting in two fatalities, and submerging extensive areas. Residents have been seen evacuating with their belongings via boats and makeshift transport as knee-deep water inundates homes, according to footage from Reuters TV.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has warned that continued rainfall could further elevate water levels in the next 24 hours, raising concerns about additional flooding and displacement. Several regions have had their road connectivity severed, isolating communities and hindering relief efforts.
Districts most impacted include Feni, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Comilla, and Chittagong, where five major rivers are flowing above danger levels. Resident Mohammad Masum of Feni district described the situation, stating, "I haven't seen so much water in the last 20 years. Everything in my house is wrecked because the water has risen to waist level." The World Bank Institute's 2015 analysis estimated that 3.5 million people in Bangladesh, a country highly vulnerable to climate change, are at risk of annual river flooding. Scientists attribute the intensification of such events to climate change.
On Wednesday, Dhaka students protested, alleging that the floods were caused by water released from India's Dumbur dam. India’s foreign ministry has denied these claims, asserting that the floods resulted from heavy rainfall in the river's catchment areas, not from the dam.
Meanwhile in Tripura, India, 12 people have died due to landslides and flooding triggered by recent rains. India's Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that the central government has deployed disaster management teams, boats, and helicopters for relief and rescue operations. Both nations acknowledge that floods on shared rivers are a mutual issue causing suffering on both sides, emphasizing the need for close cooperation to address and resolve the situation.