The far-reaching impact of floods on Bangladeshi children

Jaber Hossain, a volunteer from Chattogram, was on his way to Feni on 25 August with food relief supplies. It had been a week since floods devastated vast areas of Feni, Noakhali, Cumilla and several other districts. 

However, when his team reached the Lalpur area just before Sonagazi, a heartbreaking scene unfolded in front of them. 

"We saw a dead body of a child floating in flood water on the road," Jaber recalled at a rescue centre in Feni, where his team was distributing food. "The child must have died several days ago. The nearly decomposed body had turned pale from being submerged in water." 

This unidentified child was not the only victim.

Feni town still had waist-deep water in places. People can be seen crossing through these areas on rafts made out of banana plants. The next day, another unidentified child's body was found floating in the town on a banana raft.

As heartbreaking as it was, the number of children's dead bodies continued to rise in the following days, reflecting the overall increase in deaths from flood. 

Gawher Nayeem Wahra emphasised the importance of reopening schools. He noted the authorities have sufficient funds to clean and restore affected schools. Setting up at least one room where children can gather, paint, sing, and socialise is crucial, as many children have been isolated from their friends for a long time.

According to Unicef, the recent floods in southeastern Bangladesh have put the lives of more than two million children at risk. Citing the interim government data, the UN body told The Business Standard that as of 2 September, 18 children had died in the latest floods. 

This is not an isolated incident of children being affected or losing their lives in floods. Earlier this year, during the northern floods in Kurigram, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat districts, at least nine children drowned.  

Of those children, five were from Lalmonirhat, two from Kurigram and two were from Gaibandha. The devastating impact of these floods had not only resulted in loss of lives but also affected over 7,72,000 children in northeastern Bangladesh, according to Unicef.

Children facing the brunt of disasters

Over the years, floods in northern and other parts of Bangladesh have claimed the lives of dozens of children, who are often the primary victims of such disasters. 

Children, unaware of the dangers, often drown in floodwaters while playing or due to lack of awareness, leading to injuries or death. Additionally, floods severely impact their health, education and social lives, significantly hindering their development. Despite this, sufficient attention is not given to the needs of children in emergencies.

"These floods are a sad example of how children in Bangladesh are the most exposed to climate and environmental hazards in the world," Miguel Mateos Muñoz, chief of communication and advocacy of Unicef in Bangladesh told The Business Standard. 

While thousands of families have lost their homes, loved ones, livestock and livelihoods to the floods, the impact on children, including adolescents, has also been devastating. 

From displacement and lack of access to nutritious food, safe water, and healthcare, to missing school and heightened risks of exploitation, abuse, and violence in overcrowded shelters, the list of ways children are impacted by the floods is extensive. 

"About 7,000 schools are closed and those which are safe for learning are being used as shelters. Water and sanitation facilities have been washed away or damaged... Healthcare facilities were inundated with water… diarrhoea cases among children are increasing. The lack of adequate mental health and psychosocial support services has also left many children coping with trauma and stress without necessary assistance," said Miguel. 

Not only children but also mothers, particularly pregnant women, face enormous challenges in surviving floods. 

Ashrafuzzaman Bappi, a Feni resident and a migrant worker, faced severe challenges in his effort to protect his pregnant wife during the floods.

Their family house is a single storey, but the water level rose to nearly eight feet. On August 18, his family sought refuge in a neighbour's two-storey building.

The last time Bappi was able to communicate with his family before the electricity blackout and severance of their communication, he learned that the water might reach the second floor as well. At that time, he was working in Saudi Arabia.

He then took a leave and flew back home on 25 August, but couldn't reach his house that day due to the high water and lack of boats. The following day, he managed to get home and discovered that his family and wife had survived.

"My family had no idea I was coming back, and I had no information about them. We were in complete darkness," Bappi said, describing his concern for the wellbeing of his pregnant wife.

It is not about figures

When assessing the impact of disasters, the number of casualties alone doesn't capture the full extent of the devastation. Because disasters like floods or cyclones not only claim peoples' lives but damage their livelihood and complicate their ways to return to their normal lives. 

"You cannot measure the impact of a disaster simply by counting the dead. Even if no lives are lost, the disaster can still be immense. While figures may suggest a large scale, casualties alone do not capture the full extent of the disaster," Gawher Nayeem Wahra, a specialist in child protection, disaster risk reduction and disaster management, told The Business Standard.

"The impact is about the suffering of people – whether they can return to their normal lives, and how long it will take, especially for those who lost their homes in the flood," he said. 

Gawher Nayeem Wahra emphasised the importance of reopening schools. He noted the authorities have sufficient funds to clean and restore affected schools. Setting up at least one room where children can gather, paint, sing, and socialise is crucial, as many children have been isolated from their friends for a long time.

For instance, Raisa Akter, a seventh-grade student, stayed at a shelter in Cumilla with her parents. She spent most of her time glued to her phone. When asked about it, Raisa said, "I have no idea where my friends are." 

"These are basic needs for children," Gawher said, adding that it would be simple to arrange books in flood-affected areas by collecting them from regions untouched by the disaster, as all schools are supplied with 10% extra books. "It is important that we make schools interesting for children," he added.  

Tackling the nutrition crisis

The child protection expert also advocated for implementing measures in schools to address children's nutritional needs in the aftermath of such disasters. 

"Most children are suffering from skin diseases and Vitamin-C deficiency. Medicine alone will not help; they need proper nutrition. For just Tk35 a day, you can easily provide each child with an amra (hog plum), a banana, an egg, or a slice of jambura (pomelo). Instead of offering puffed or flattened rice, school management should arrange this daily dose of protein for the students," he said.

Gawher stressed that organisations working in flood-affected areas should ensure all children who were in school before the flood return to their classrooms. He cautioned that without proper support, many children might be forced into child labour due to food shortages at home, with some ending up working in brickfields. He also warned against a potential rise in child marriages and displacement.

Moreover, in the absence of clean ponds, children in flood-affected areas lack access to water for bathing and maintaining hygiene.

Experts suggested that basic health education and personal hygiene practices should be taught in schools. Providing nutritious meals would not only encourage children to return but also ease the burden on parents who are struggling to rebuild their lives in damaged homes.

Unicef's Miguel Mateos said they are concerned about the safety and protection of children, as they are the most vulnerable in any emergencies. 

"The situation is improving but their needs are dire," Miguel added.