Thousands in Satkhira in dire straits

Thousands of people in Satkhira's Assasuni upazila are in search of shelter, food and drinking water as their homes have been inundated by tidal surges coupled with heavy rainfall.

Many families have are yet to find a place to take refuge.

People of some villages in the upazila earlier lost their ancestral lands to river erosion and had been living in different areas in making makeshift arrangements.

But the ongoing flood and the constant fear of natural disasters have left them with no other option but to leave their villages for good.

Kamruzzaman said he used to live in his ancestral house built on a 10-katha land near Protapnagar launch terminal but he lost it to river erosion last year. He and his family then moved to a shelter centre at the launch terminal before cyclone Amphan hit the country and had been living there since.

"I dreamt of spending my entire life on my ancestral land. But that dream has been lost forever," he said.

He said he had left his village with the hope to settle elsewhere, but he was quite unsure of his next destination.

Nazrul Islam, a neighbour of Kamruzzaman, also left the village with no intention to return and took shelter at a relative's house in a neighbouring village.

Kurban Sardar, a resident of Chakla village, said, "We always have to remain anxious about natural disasters. We don't want to spend our whole life amid such uncertainty."

Like them, hundreds of villagers under Protapnagar and Sreela unions are leaving the area.

Around 38,000 people live in 18 villages of Protapnagar and around 32,000 people live in Sreela.

Houses, roads, fish enclosures and croplands have been inundated by water due to the tidal surge and rain.

"The area has become unfit for living due to high tide and rain. That is why people are compelled to leave the area," said Jakir Hossain, chairman of Protapnagar union parishad.

Abu Hena, chairman of Sreeula union parishad, said, "Everyone wants a secured living place. But it has now become impossible to have one in this area."