ABOUT 50 thousand people living in the river-side areas of Rajshahi city have been living in the open on the town protection embankment for the past four days after the River Padma washed away their houses. The homeless people have alleged that they are not getting enough relief from the government and some of them have not yet received any help from anybody.Housewife Sufia Khatun of Zianagar area in the city said she, along with three children and husband, was living under the open sky for three days but did not get any help as yet.
Abdul Alim, another homeless man, alleged that he got some foods but not enough for his six-member family.
Meanwhile the Water Development Board sources said the Padma was flowing above the danger mark and it would continue for three or four more days.
The Rajshahi Water Development Board executive engineer, Harun-or-Rashid, told New Age that the water level was 10 centimetre above the danger level Wednesday afternoon and it was only two centimetre above the danger level on Tuesday.
The water level would rise by three to four centimetres more in the next few days, he added.
The water level rose beyond the danger mark for the first time in the last ten years, the WDB sources said.
The low-lying areas along with the Zia Nagar area inside the town protection embankment were flooded Sunday night.
Rajshahi deputy commissioner, acknowledging the crisis, told New Age that they would need two or three more days to ensure supply of relief for all affected people.
Rajshahi City Corporation acting mayor Sariful Islam Babu told New Age that they allocated five tonnes of rice for the victim and added that the city corporation was also supplying safe drinking water and medicines for the affected people.
-With New Age input
