Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Chattogram city unit has announced a seven-day ‘Disaster Management Week’ from 9 July to 15 to support people affected by relentless rainfall, landslides and severe waterlogging in the port city.
The announcement was made at a special meeting of party leaders and activists held at the city Jamaat office in BIA Bhaban on Wednesday, chaired by City Amir Muhammad Nazrul Islam.
The party has also formed a 19-member disaster management committee to coordinate rescue and relief activities in affected areas.
Addressing the meeting, Nazrul Islam said large parts of Chattogram have been submerged by tidal water and heavy rain, causing widespread damage from flooding, landslides and wall collapses.
He warned that the situation could deteriorate further as the Meteorological Department has forecast more heavy rainfall in the coming days.
Residents in areas including Bakalia, Bayazid, Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, Agrabad, Chawkbazar, Khatunganj, Double Mooring, Patenga and Halishahar are struggling with knee- to waist-deep water.
The flooding has inundated homes and businesses, leaving thousands of families stranded and disrupting road and rail links with other districts. As a result, ongoing Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations under the Chattogram Education Board and other institutional examinations have been postponed.
The Jamaat leader criticised the authorities over the city’s long-standing waterlogging problem, describing ongoing mitigation projects as “never-ending” initiatives due to a lack of accountability.
He said despite large allocations for tackling waterlogging, residents continue to suffer from inadequate civic services, a situation he attributed partly to the absence of elected representatives at the city corporation and ward levels.
“We urge the district administration to immediately evacuate residents from high-risk areas to safe shelters and strengthen relief and rehabilitation efforts,” Nazrul Islam said.
He also called for coordinated efforts involving local social organisations and volunteers to tackle the crisis.
The newly formed 19-member committee will be headed by Metropolitan Secretary Principal Nurul Amin as convener. Assistant Secretary Mohammad Ullah has been appointed joint convener, while Jamaat’s mayoral candidate for Chattogram City Corporation, Principal Shamsuzzaman Helali, will serve as member secretary.
The committee also includes Metropolitan Organising Secretary AKM Fazlul Haque, former councillor Shafiul Alam and secretaries from 14 organisational police stations.
