Twenty-one students of Dhaka University (DU) have been marooned in flood water in Sunamganj while travelling Tanguar haor area.
The students, including seven girls, went to the area three days ago and are now calling for rescue operations since they are facing a crisis of drinking water.
Among the stranded students, Md Shoaib Ahmed, a third year DU student of mass communication and journalism department, said they travelled to Tanguar haor three days ago. As the flood situation worsened on Thursday in Sunamganj, they were stranded in a restaurant, Panshi, along with other travellers.
Md Shoaib Ahmed said, “We are facing acrisis of food and drinking water. There is no washroom facilities in the restaurant. The cell phones networks are not functioning well. Overall, we are in a dire state and are requesting a rescue operation.”
When asked, DU proctor professor AKM Golam Rabbani told Prothom Alo that “We are trying to contact the local administration. We are seeking help from the local administration and representatives to rescue our students.”
The floods in different upazilas of Sylhet have deteriorated fast in the past 24 hours. The water level has risen so fast that people in many areas could not even arrange dried food and potable water. Their kitchens are already under water.
Many areas are under almost neck-deep water. As a result communication between villages has snapped. Besides, a large number of people in Companiganj and Gowainghat upazilas have become stranded as water entered their houses.
At least 600 villages of Companiganj, Gowainghat, Sylhet sadar, Jaintiapur, Kanaighat and South Surma upazilas have been inundated, according to local people, administration and people’s representatives.
At least one million (10 lakh) people are stranded due to the floods. Snakes, leeches and other insects have increased in the areas. People are not able to move outside even for their basic needs as they do not have any boats for movement.
The authorities have decided to deploy the army to rescue the affected people of Companiganj and Gowainghat upazilas, said Sylhet deputy commissioner Mujibur Rahman to Prothom Alo on Friday morning.