Chattogram flood: No land in sight to even bury the dead in Satkania

The flood crisis in Chattogram's Satkania upazila has escalated to a dire state, where grieving families are struggling to locate even a small plot of land for burying their loved ones. Their only option is to patiently await the receding of the water levels.

House yards, crop fields, graveyards have been submerged in water for the last few days amid incessant rainfall.

Nurul Islam died of old age in Bholia Para of Satkania Sadar on Tuesday night but his relatives could not find any dry land to bury him and have kept his body in a freezer ambulance for three days.

Shahed Hossain Hira, a relative of the deceased, said Nurul Islam died at home on Tuesday. As there was a flood, his body was kept in a neighbour's house.

Water entered that house too. So, a freezer van was hired from the city, which could not even come near the house and had to be parked 1 kilometre away on the Dolu Bridge.

Later, Nurul Islam's relatives waded to the freezer ambulance with his body. Now they are waiting for the flood situation to improve to bury the body.

Journalist Mizanul Islam said, "Everywhere you look there is water, there is no dry land left in Satkania."

Not only in Bholia Para, but all over Satkania, people are suffering due to floods. So far, six people have died amid floods and boat capsizes. Local public representatives said the deceased's relatives are suffering as they cannot hold funerals or bury the bodies.

Md Osman Ali, chairman of No-10 Keochia union, said a Hindu person died in my area but he could not be cremated immediately. Later, the body was sent to a distant place by a boat for cremation.

"Besides, we also faced difficulties in providing treatment to several pregnant women," he added.

The flood situation in South Chattogram and Bandarban is dire following six days of continual heavy rains and landslides. Sangu and Matamuhuri rivers are still above danger level.

Currently, around 2.5 lakh people are stuck in villages. There has been a power outage in three upazilas, including Satkania, of South Chattogram for the past four days.

What is more alarming is that there is a shortage of fresh water and dry food in the flood affected areas.