Eid's joy eludes victims of tidal surge, erosion

The joy of festivals like Eid often eludes these kids as their poverty-stricken parents cannot afford to buy them any gift. PHOTO: STAR

Eid-ul Fitr will not bring joy for several lakh victims of recent tidal surge that flooded over 100 villages in eight upazilas of the district.
The affected people said that beyond the bare needs they cannot afford to buy extra goods under the present circumstance as they have lost their shelters, croplands and domestic animals in the recent flood and erosion.
Lailee Begum, 35, a housewife of Charipara village under Kalapara upazila said, "We are now fighting for our daily food and not in a position to spend extra money for celebrating Eid,”.
Talking with this correspondent on Friday, several flood victims in Charipara area said they are waiting for help from the government and non-governmental organisations to buy food and other things to celebrate Eid with their family members.
Beauty Begum, another victim of the same area, said she cannot purchase any dress for her children.
Mir Tariquzzaman Tara, chairman of Lalua Union Parishad (UP), said as many as 12,650 people of 376 families in his union have been affected by flood following collapse of dykes at Charipara and Nayapara during high tide.
At least 30 dwelling houses were washed away while 2,185 houses damaged by tidal surge, the chairman said, adding that most of the affected families have no ability to buy new cloths, shirts, pants, and others goods to celebrate Eid.
Over 100 villages in eight upazilas of the district got flooded following collapse of dykes in different area due to recent tidal surge. Several thousands dwelling houses went under water and croplands were flooded by saline water.
According to Kalapara Water Development Board office sources, at least one kilometre of a dyke collapsed in the upazila, flooding at least 10 villages.