Kurigram in crying need

The flash floods of 2022 were some of the worst Bangladesh has witnessed recently – with entire districts in the north cut off from the rest of the country. Unprecedented rains submerged the Sylhet division, but less well known was the crisis brewing in Kurigram. The “forgotten emergency” saw 200,000 people losing their homes and livelihoods due to the swelling of the Teesta, Dharla, and Brahmaputra rivers. Water levels have receded, but recovery is a painstaking process. As the country gears up to celebrate the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, let us not forget the plight of these communities. Post-disaster recovery requires a coordinated response to address the needs of women and girls.

The people of Kurigram are no strangers to calamities – floods are a historically recurring event there. Excessive rainfall causes soil erosion and damages embankments. The duration of floods may vary, but the after-effects always render immeasurable human suffering along with substantial loss of crops, livestock, and poultry. The impacts are inter-generational and severe, trapping communities in a loop of poverty they find impossible to escape. This year’s floods are no different. The floods may have lasted a few days, but the impacts will last for years.

This year’s floods left thousands of people without food or water for days. It also led to the temporary closure of 328 educational institutions. Additionally, 15,800 hectares of agricultural land have been devastated by the floodwaters. The afflicted populations in multiple chars are enraged about the woefully insufficient aid. Children are among those hit hardest, as this causes learning loss, psychological distress, and increased vulnerability. The sufferings are more intense for young girls and homemakers.

A young woman from Nageswari named Josna discovered her home was gradually going underwater as the rain continued. Worrying about it was no use, but she did not have any clue how she would survive or where is the end to this ordeal.

"This one flood has drastically altered our way of life. My home was submerged. There's nothing except flood water everywhere I look. Food scarcity is widespread in my community, but I have additional difficulties. How do I keep up my menstrual hygiene?’ Josna proclaimed, "I have no idea!

"Following the devastating floods, we don't have any options to cook food," Morjina, another young woman from Nageswari, explained. ‘For us, receiving dry food is a huge relief. The menstrual hygiene kits are particularly crucial because, under these circumstances, we cannot even discuss this issue with others.’

‘This is a time of crisis for the people of Kurigram. We can't protect the entire community by ourselves. Each of us must step forward as a team for a joint effort to persevere in this disaster,’ stated Ashik Billah, the head of Plan International Bangladesh's Central & Northern Region.

‘Children are getting sick due to water-borne diseases. The sufferings of pregnant women and new mothers are beyond our imagination. Strengthened health facilities have become a crying need now.’ he further added.

With Mahidev Jubo Somaj Kallyan Somity, Plan International Bangladesh is leading the way in providing emergency support for the sufferers in this situation. Plan International Bangladesh has sent food and non-food items to flood-affected families in Kachakata and Ballaberkhash unions of Nageswari Upazila of Kurigram district to stand with people like Josna. The response is specially targeted at young women's and girls' requirements. Plan International Bangladesh will continue to address this issue, concentrating on education, gender-based violence, and child protection.

During the initial phase of the response, 5560 dry food packets, 1,000,000 water purification tablets, 1840 non-food items (NFI), and 1820 menstrual health management (MHM) kits were distributed. People were given a dry meal package comprising 2 kg each of puffed rice, flattened rice, and molasses, as well as a cartoon of non-food items (NFI) featuring 27 items.

Moving forward, there is much more to be done to increase the resilience of flood-affected communities. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) predicts another flood will soon hit the nation. The northern region's flood situation might even get worse before people get the opportunity to recover. People must develop incredible strength and risk-management capacities to manage these vulnerable post-disaster conditions, recover their shattered livelihoods, and ensure the survival of their families. The fundamental concern for flood-affected people is humanitarian aid. We must move swiftly but together to become resilient in this regard.