The New Nation - Internet Edition

Munim Hossain, Lalmonirhat

The mighty river Teesta and Dharla were flowing above the danger level on Thursday night The Teesta river was flowing 36 centimeters above the danger mark at Daliya point under Hatibandha upazila in Lalmonirhat and the Dharla river was flowing 12 centimeter above the danger mark at Mogholhat point under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila.

Low areas at patgram, Hatibandha, Aditmari and sadar upazila in Lalmonirhat beside the Teesta and Dharla river were inundated as water level rose in the river after two days heavy rain and because of the onrush water from upstream.

Standing crops were inundated in low areas at Hatibandha, Aditmari and Lalmonirhat sadar upazilas.

Twenty percent of the standing crops went under the flood water at Dahagram, Kuchlibari villages under Patgram upazila, South Goddimari, Paruliya, Sindurna under Hatibandha upazila, Gobordhan, South Bala para under Aditmari upazila i, Rajpur, Khuniya Gachh, Mogholhat, Kulaghat villages under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila, said Lalmonirhat Water Development Board sources.

The worst affected unions of the four upazilas are Dahagram, Kuchlibari, under Patgram upazila, Goddimari, Parika Para and Sindurna under Hatibandha upazila, Mohiskhocha under Aditmari upazila, Rajpur, Mogjolhat, Kulaghat and Khuniya Gachh under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila.

The Executive Engineer of Lalmonirhat Water Development Board Mohammad Ali told this correspondent the water level of Teesta river at Daliya point has crossed its danger level and following above the 36 centimeters of its danger level 52.25 meters. And the Dharla river water has crossed its danger mark at Mogholhat point under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila and was flowing above 12 centimeter above the danger level. All of the gates of Gazoldoba Barrage in India had been opened at the early hour on noon on Thursday and the water had been following down to Bangladesh, resulting the water level in Teesta river increasing, he added.

The Lalmonirhat deputy Commissioner DC Rafiqul Islam and the camp commander of Lalmonirhat Army camp Major Mahfuzur Rahaman on Friday morning visited different flood affected areas in the district

The flood affected people at different flood hits areas facing another flood facing in again, whereas they yet not overcome immediate passed flood situation.

In the another hand, incessant rain over the last three days have taken a heavy toll on life of common people in Lalmonirhat

Standing crops and vegetables on a vast tract of land have been damaged and normal life has become paralysed for heavy rain since September 5 Morning. The downpour has also inundated many areas in district town and adjacent areas.

According to officials in the local Water Development Board, lowland areas under Patgram, Hatibandha, Aditmari and Lalmonirhat sadar upazilas were submerged due to the downpour coupled with onrush of water from the upstream. The Department of Agriculture Extension said the rain damaged paddy plants on about 2,500 acres of land and vegetables on nearly 15,000 acres of land. Hari Pado Barman, a farmer at village Rajpur village under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila said he cultivated paddy on two acres of land. But about one fourth of the crops suffered damage during the downpour. If the rain does not stop immediately, the loss may not be recovered, he added.

Many areas in the district town have gone under knee-to-ankle-deep water disrupting the normal activities of common people. The most affected areas are Puran Bazar, Saptaba Bazar, Railway Bazar, Nayarhat, Adrsha Para, College Bazar and Kalibari. The plying of vehicles was suspended on some roads in the town where people's suffering knew no bounds. Most shops had to be closed and those which remained open could hardly find customers.

Prokasha Saha, a grocer at Kalibari in the town, said he saw an about 70 per cent decrease in sale over the last three days. Abdul Hakim, a newspaper hawker in the town, looked frustrated as he said that his sale decreased by 50 per cent during the three days. The presence in educational institutions and offices appeared thin as most people preferred to stay indoors.

The day labourers could not manage work facing serious troubles in running their families. However, the rickshaw-pullers earned two to three times higher than the usual time. But some of them said they suffered from cold-related diseases and a major portion of their income had to be spent for treatment