Receding waters start to reveal full extent of damage due to floods in Feni

Staff Correspondent: As floodwaters from heavy rains and upstream flows from India begin to recede, dead bodies are surfacing, revealing the full extent of the disaster in Feni.

Mokhammad Azizur Rahman of the Feni Al Jamiyatul Falahia Shelter Project reported that five bodies were recovered from the floodwaters over the weekend. He buried them on Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, three more bodies were discovered in a nearby shelter project and were also laid to rest. Tragic reports from the Lalpul Bede community in Feni indicate that two children drowned during the floods.

In Feni Sadar Upazila’s North Dholia village, where there was no land available for burial, the body of a woman who died in the floods floated away in the rising waters. The deceased, identified as Shifu, 42, passed away on Thursday. She was the daughter of the late Nurul Amin from Latif Haji Bari in North Dholia village.

Meanwhile, the body of a missing man, Delwar from Madhugram in Parshuram, was found near the Silonia River by locals on Saturday, close to the Jungleghona Steel Bridge.

Many residents are desperately searching for their missing loved ones, but the widespread communication breakdown is making it difficult to locate them.

While rescue workers are said to be actively responding, the reality on the ground suggests a different story. Relief efforts are hampered by a lack of boats, preventing aid workers from reaching the most affected areas. No information is available from the flood-isolated Parshuram upazila of Feni.

The entire Feni district, comprising six upazilas—Chhagalnaiya, Phulgazi, Parshuram, Feni Sadar, Daganbhuiyan, and Sonagazi—remains submerged, despite waters receding. Villages across the district are under water, with no signs of life in the flood-hit homes. Thousands of displaced people have sought refuge in local schools, colleges, mosques, and temples. The crisis is deepening as access to clean drinking water and food becomes increasingly scarce. Relief trucks and volunteers from Chattogram are struggling to reach remote villages.

Feni Deputy Commissioner Shahina Akhter confirmed one death and said that 800,000 people are currently trapped by the floodwaters, with 150,000 evacuated to various shelters. She also reported that 60,000 packets of dry food have been distributed to those in need.