On Friday, devastating flash floods struck Bangladesh, exacerbating the country’s recovery from weeks of political turmoil. The death toll has risen to 13, with millions more affected by the severe flooding.
Bangladesh, home to 170 million people and crisscrossed by numerous rivers, has long been vulnerable to floods. Monsoon rains annually wreak havoc, but climate change is intensifying extreme weather events and shifting weather patterns.
Rescue volunteer Zahed Hossain Bhuiya, 35, described the situation in the worst-hit city of Feni as “catastrophic,” noting ongoing rescue efforts. Nur Islam, a shopkeeper in Feni, reported that his home was completely submerged. “Everything is underwater,” he said.
The country’s geography, characterized by delta regions where Himalayan rivers like the Ganges and Brahmaputra converge before flowing into the sea, makes it particularly susceptible to flooding. According to local media, all major tributaries of these rivers are overflowing.
In neighboring Tripura state, India, floods have also claimed over 23 lives since Monday. Bangladesh’s disaster management ministry reported that the 13 deaths include those in coastal cities such as Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar, which houses approximately one million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Eastern regions, including Comilla near the Indian border, have also been severely affected.
The floods come amid political unrest following the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was forced to flee to India during a student-led uprising. Her 15-year tenure was marked by human rights abuses, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus now leads an interim government tasked with implementing democratic reforms ahead of upcoming elections.
Tensions have arisen over the floods, with Asif Mahmud, a leader of the protests against Hasina, accusing India of deliberately releasing water from dams. India’s foreign ministry denied these claims, attributing the downstream water flow to heavy rainfall and automatic dam releases.
In Tripura, relentless rains continue, with Bagafa village recording 494 millimeters (19.4 inches) of rain in 24 hours. Most of the 23 deaths in Tripura were due to landslides, with a few from drowning. Chief Minister Manik Saha described the situation as “still concerning” and announced ongoing relief efforts, including the possibility of airlifting supplies.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended support to the Yunus administration, while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sympathy for the victims of the floods. Sharif conveyed solidarity with Bangladesh, commending its resilience in facing the disaster.
