Bangladesh monsoon death toll rises to 50 as floods displace thousands
- At least 50 people have died after days of monsoon rains triggered deadly floods and landslides.
- More than 35,000 people have taken shelter in government relief centres.
- Around 4,000 emergency shelters have been opened as food and drinking water shortages worsen.
- Officials warn more flooding remains possible in parts of northern and northeastern Bangladesh.
At least 50 people have lost their lives and tens of thousands have been forced to flee their homes after relentless monsoon rains triggered severe flooding and landslides across Bangladesh over the past week.
The worst-hit region has been the southeastern Chattogram district, where authorities confirmed all 50 deaths, including 29 people who were killed when landslides buried homes. Two people remain missing, according to Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Mohammed Ziauddin.
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The disaster has displaced thousands of families, with more than 35,000 people currently staying in government-run relief centres. Officials have also opened nearly 4,000 emergency shelters as floodwaters continue to inundate homes and villages, creating growing shortages of food and safe drinking water.
Army personnel and Border Guard Bangladesh teams have been delivering food, drinking water and other essential supplies by boat to isolated communities cut off by rising floodwaters.
The flooding has also caused heartbreaking scenes for affected families. In Chattogram, Mohammed Forkan’s relatives were unable to bury him beside his parents because the local cemetery was submerged under chest-deep water.
“We placed my uncle’s body on a bamboo raft and swam alongside it in search of a piece of land that was not underwater,” his nephew, Nizamuddin, told AFP. “Finally, we managed to bury him on government land and held a small funeral prayer.”
Conditions remain critical in many flood-hit areas, with residents saying their homes and kitchens remain underwater, leaving families struggling to access basic necessities.
The crisis has also affected Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, where landslides caused by heavy rainfall killed 15 people last week. More than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees live in overcrowded settlements built on deforested hillsides, making the area highly vulnerable to landslides during the monsoon season.
Bangladesh, a low-lying river delta nation, faces frequent flooding and landslides during the annual monsoon. Scientists warn that climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, making such disasters more severe.
Sarder Udoy Raihan of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said flood conditions in the southeastern districts are expected to improve in the coming days. However, he cautioned that active monsoon systems over northern and northeastern Bangladesh could still bring further flooding to those regions.
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