Widespread Flooding Submerges Villages in Feni: Families Trapped, Rescue Efforts Hindered

In a tragic turn of events, several villages in Feni district have been completely submerged due to relentless flooding, leaving families stranded and cut off from rescue efforts. One such family in the North Tongirpar Hajibari area of Chanua Union, Feni Sadar Upazila, has been trapped for four days without any means of communication or rescue.

Farzana Akhter, a teacher residing in Chittagong, has been desperately trying to reach her family members in the affected area. Despite sending people via the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, the narrow, waterlogged roads have made it impossible for anyone to reach the village, which lies just one kilometer from the highway.

"The entire area is underwater," Farzana shared with Bengali Vogue. "Seven of my family members, including children, are stranded. They have taken refuge on the second floor of a building, but the water has reached the stairs."

Farzana's last contact with her sister, Tania Akhter, was on Thursday evening. Tania informed her through a brief message that they had all taken shelter in a local mosque. The first floor of the mosque was already submerged, and water had reached the second-floor stairs. Hundreds of villagers were also taking refuge there, unable to leave due to the severe flooding.

Many others, like Farzana’s relatives, are trapped in remote villages across the district. Family members are anxiously waiting along the routes to Feni, some even attempting to arrange boats to reach their loved ones.

Bengali Vogue spoke with 13 individuals who shared similar stories of despair. Among them was Mohammad Alauddin, whose home is in Nairajpur village, Farhadnagar Union, Feni Sadar Upazila. Alauddin, who works in Sitakunda, tried to reach his mother, wife, and children but found the roads impassable due to the high water levels.

"I haven’t slept or eaten properly for days. The worry is suffocating," Alauddin said after reaching the entrance to his village, having walked and hitched rides on relief trucks.

Feni district’s six upazilas—Chagalnaia, Phulgazi, Parashuram, Feni Sadar, Daganbhuiyan, and Sonagazi—are entirely underwater. Village after village is submerged, forcing residents to seek refuge in local schools, colleges, mosques, and temples. The lack of fresh water and food is becoming increasingly dire as the days go by. Rescue operations are struggling to reach the most affected areas, with relief trucks from Chittagong limited to assisting roadside villages. However, they have managed to rescue at least 70 people from various villages.

At noon on Friday, a relief truck stopped at the head of Khaiyara Road in Chagalnaya Upazila. A crowd of desperate people rushed towards the truck, knowing it contained biryani cooked by volunteers from Mirsarai. Among them was a 40-year-old farmer named Md. Qayyum, who pleaded for food, saying, "The floodwaters have taken everything. We haven't eaten in two days. There's no food at the shelter."

After receiving his meal, Qayyum explained that he, along with his two children and four other family members, had sought refuge in a shelter. With no relief reaching them, they swam to the highway in search of help.

The situation at Feni East West Degree College is equally grim. Hundreds of flood victims have taken refuge there, with livestock and poultry tied up on the balconies. The scenes of overcrowding and desperation are a stark reminder of the ongoing crisis.

The Dhaka-Chittagong highway, a vital route, has been immobilized for four days, with hundreds of vehicles stuck along a 40 km stretch from Mirsarai to Lalpol in Feni Sadar. Some trucks managed to move towards Dhaka in the afternoon, but for most, the wait continues.

Razzak Mia, a stranded passenger, was seen cooking rice on the roadside. "We’ve been sitting here for three days. We had some rice left, so we’re cooking it with salt," he said.

A Dhaka-bound bus with about 30 passengers, including three children, has been stuck for days. Passengers are struggling to comprehend the extent of the disaster, with some attempting to continue their journey on foot as far as they can go.

This severe flooding has left Feni’s residents in a dire situation, with families separated, rescue efforts hampered, and a growing need for urgent relief. Bengali Vogue will continue to monitor the situation as it develops.