Woes of Sirajganj town dwellers

Hundreds of town dwellers here are suffering a lot after being stuck in stagnant water due to lack of proper drainage system, locals claimed.
Many families are still under knee or waist deep water although floodwaters have receded in most parts of the town. They are now being attacked with different waterborne diseases like diarrhoea, pneumonia and skin diseases.
People who have shifted their homesteads to safer places or taken shelter in different schools, colleges and on highlands are the worst sufferers.
While visiting different areas in the town, this correspondent found that water still remained stagnant in Goshala, Hazi barrack, Hossainpur, Dhanbandhi, Dattobari, Janpur, Mondolpara, Kobdashpara, Chok-Kobdashpara, Ekdala, Soyadhanghora, Diardhanghora, Mahmudpur, Masumpur, Railway Colony, Bhangabari, Bahirgola, Rahmotganj, Beparipara, Kazipur intersection, Shahidganj, Mirpur, Biralakuthi and Chand-Alirmorh areas.
People in the areas use raft or small boats to go elsewhere. Students in the areas can not go to their educational institutions due to this phenomenon.
While talking Shabitri Ghos, 45, wife of Sontos Ghos of Goshala in the municipality said to The Daily Star that he and his family members had been attacked with skin diseases.
Munju Rani Kunda, 45, wife of Monindranath of hospital road area said her house is still under knee deep stagnant water.
According to Sirajganj Municipality officials, about 100 kutcha and half pucca houses have already collapsed or damaged by stagnant floodwater.
Fazlul Motin Mukta, a freedom fighter said about 40 percent of people out of two lakh in the municipality are still trapped in stagnant water. Lack of drainage system, shortage of necessary bridges and culverts in proper places have been attributed to the situation, he claimed.
He further said, once rainwater from the areas used to flow through Katakhali Khal. But now it has become ineffective due to various reasons including encroachment by influentials.
Earlier, roads, bridges, culverts and drains were built without proper plan, resulting in people's suffering. Acting chairman of Sirajganj municipality Golam Rahim Khan said the drainage system of the town would be improved soon.