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Teesta bursts its banks again
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“We are monitoring the situation as the water levels of most of the rivers are increasing. But we still think it’s going to be another short-term flood,” said Mehedi Hasan, duty officer of the FFWC, yesterday.
He added that Teesta’s water level will continue to rise over the next 24 hours.
As of Saturday evening, the river was flowing 28cm above the danger level at the Dalia barrage point and 53cm above at the Kaunia point in Rangpur.
Following the rise in the water level, around 50,000 people have been stranded in 100 chars and riverside villages in 22 unions of eight upazilas in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts, Water Development Board (WDB) sources said.
Abdullah Al Mamun, executive engineer of Kurigram WDB, said the rise in Teesta’s water level has caused floods in Rajarhat, Ulipur and Chilmari upazilas.
Shunil Kumar, executive engineer of Lalmonirhat WDB, the char areas have been flooded due to incessant rains and water from the upstream.
Meanwhile, Dharla’s water level in Lalmonirhat has also been rising but is still below the danger level, he added.
Speaking to this correspondent, Supen Chandra Barman, 65, a farmer in Lalmonirhat Sadar’s Rajpur village, said his house is now 2-3 feet under water.
“If the water rises further, we will have to relocate.”
Farmer Fazlar Rahman, 65, of Gobordhan area of the district’s Aditmari upazila, said his home was flooded and he and his family had to take shelter on a WDB embankment.
“We are worried about our livestock. Already six chickens and three ducks were washed away.”
Meanwhile, at least 15,000 people have been suffering as the Teesta inundated around 40 villages on the chars of Rangpur’s Kaunia and Gangachara upazila on Friday night.
While homes have been submerged, vast areas of rice fields are also under water now.
Many affected residents have already left their homes and are seeking refuge in higher areas.
Farmer Nazrul Islam said Aman paddy fields and seedbeds of around 10,000 families in his village were submerged.
In Nilphamari, nine unions of Dimla and Jaldhaka upazilas have been affected by the flood, stranding around 5,000 families.
Rabiul Islam Shaheen, chairman of Tepa Kharibari union, said at least 2,000 families in his area were affected.
Abul Hossain, 50, Kisamoter char in Khaga Kharibari union, who took shelter at an embankment with his seven-member family, said, “With four consecutive floods this season, I have become financially crippled. I had to sell all my belongings to arrange food for my family.”

BCL activists
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been disturbing her in many ways. Her classmate tried to protect her, but to no avail.
The victim said that around 11:00pm on Wednesday, the accused called her and her classmate to Room-606 of the dorm and hurled abuse at them for informing other students about the incident.
She added that at one point, they took away their mobile phones. When she felt sick after two hours of the ordeal, she was sent to her room with another student. After returning to her room, she lost consciousness. She was later admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.
“An unexpected incident happened with journalists. We are trying to solve this issue,” said SBMC Vice-Principal Nazimul Haque, who was in charge of investigating the torture of the student.
However, he termed the torture a minor incident.
This correspondent tried to reach the accused BCL leaders, Fahmida and Neelima, several times over phone and via WhatsApp for their comments, but they did not respond.