Army launches toll-free helpline for flood victims
The Bangladesh Army has launched a toll-free helpline for the flood victims of Sylhet and Sunamganj. The stranded people can seek help from the authorities by dialing any of the helpline numbers.
The numbers are – 01769177266-68, 01852788000, 01852798800, 01852804477, 01987781144, 01993781144, 01995781144, 01513918096-8.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate issued a circular in this regard on Saturday.
The two north-eastern districts have been going through a devastating flood for the last several days, with thousands of people marooned and houses inundated.
Meteorologists forecast that the situation is likely to worsen rapidly in the next few days. They came up with a similar forecast for some other northern districts.
The government has roped in Bangladesh Army and Navy for carrying out rescue operations in the flood-hit areas. They joined hands with the civil administration to rescue the marooned people and distribute relief items.
In the Sylhet division, the flood situation is worsening steadily with many stranded in different areas of the division.
The army men started rescue operations in different upazilas of Sylhet on Friday. They are evacuating people stranded in remote villages by ‘rescue boats’.
The members of the Bangladesh Navy have also joined the rescue operations on Saturday, Sylhet deputy commissioner Md Mojibur Rahman told Prothom Alo.
District administration sources said a team of 35 divers of the Navy has joined the rescue mission and 60 more are on the way to Sylhet. Two cruisers of the Coast Guard are expected to reach Sylhet in the afternoon. One will conduct rescue operations in Sylhet and the other in Sunamganj.
Two helicopters of the Bangladesh Airforce will also join the rescue.
The administration also said a team of the Navy is working in Sylhet Sadar upazila’s Jalalabad union and another team in Companiganj upazila.
The army is conducting rescue operations in Sylhet Sadar, Companiganj and Gowainghat upazilas on Saturday.
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh are also evacuating the stranded people in border areas.