People living in hills in panic
People living atop or beside hills in the district are passing days in panic, especially after Achhia Begum, 35, and her daughter Fahmida Begum, 13, were killed in a landslide on a hill slope at Dimai village of Barlekha upazila under the district early Sunday.
Earlier tragic death of scores of people in landslides in Rangamati and Chittagong districts triggered panic among the people living in hill areas of greater Sylhet region including Moulvibazar.
"I felt shocked when I saw the news and scenes of Rangamati landslides on television. This could have happened to me and my family members too as we live on a hill," said Moina Mia, 45, a resident of Boditila village in Moulvibazar.
Kishore Roy Chowdhury, vice chairman of Moulvibaza's Juri upazila said they are warning thousands of locals to take shelter in a safer place.
"We also try to prevent cutting hills, which cause landslides. However, some influential people of these areas often cut hills during night," he said.
"During the rainy season last year, at least six people were injured and fifty houses were affected by landslide at Montoil and Goshorong in Joyfarnagar union. He said, such incidents happen due to hill cutting by influential people," said Masum Reza, union parishad chairman.
Nurul Muhaimin Milton, general sectary of Moulvibazar Paribesh Sangbadik Forum, said, "We are conducting awareness campaign against destroying hills but influential people continue the callous act."
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