Momen vows to help flood-stricken people

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has urged all to get involved to help the flood-affected people in Sylhet region and join hands with the government to rescue those stranded by flood waters.

He said the administration is mobilising an adequate number of speedboats and boats to rescue the marooned people in flood-affected regions and take them to nearby shelters.

The foreign minister in a video message from his verified Facebook page on Friday pledged to take government assistance to all flood affected people in Sylhet region.

He also urged activists and leaders of local Awami League and its associate bodies to voluntarily provide cooked food to the centers as there is no shortage of relief and dry food.

"The SSC exam was a concern for the students there but it has been suspended for now. Electricity got disrupted in many areas as the Sylhet City Corporation could not protect the Kumargaon power substation from getting flooded " he added.

All the relevant ministries are jointly trying to control the situation and are being alerted and there is nothing to get panicked, said Momen.

"It gave us a lesson that we have occupied the water bodies like canal, haor, bil which caused the flood situation to worsen and these need dredging, he said.

The flood situation in the Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona districts may further deteriorate in the next 24 hours, said Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre on Friday.

Water levels in 13 points of the country's rivers are flowing above the danger level and in the next 24 hours, the water level of Teesta may remain near or above the danger level.

The flood condition may further worsen in the low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, and Kurigram districts, it said.

The electricity supply to Sunamganj district and its adjacent area has been disconnected to avoid accidents as Chhatak and Sunamganj grid substations went under flood water.

Meanwhile, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) has been closed till 25 June as the flood situation has worsened.

SUST authorities came up with the decision at an emergency syndicate meeting Friday morning.

Besides, army has been deployed in different areas of Sylhet to control the heavy flooding, said an ISPR release.