More than two lakh people have been stranded in Juri and Baralekha of Moulvibazar District due to floods caused by heavy rains and mountain slopes over the last few days.  These people are spending their days in boundless hardship.  Many have already taken up positions in various shelters.  However, most of the people are living in their houses despite having knee-deep water.  In most places, no aid arrived.  Roads have been submerged in water.  People Cannot even go to the market.  That is why there is no end to the suffering of people in food crises.

Former Central General Secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, S M Jakir Hossain, has been working for these people since the beginning of the flood.  He is currently a member of the sub-committee on education and human resources of the Bangladesh Awami League.  His house is in Goalbari union of Juri upazila of Moulvibazar.  For the last three days, he has been distributing food items to the flood victims in different areas of Juri and Baralekha Upazilas, and he is distributing cooked food at various shelters also.

On Wednesday (June 22), food items were being distributed among the flood victims in different areas of Juri Upazila.

Talking to eyewitnesses and some of the flood victims, it is learned that many activities have been stopped due to flooding.  Many are unable to go out of the house to buy food because of water.  The families are spending endless days.  In this situation, Jakir Hossain is going to their houses and helping them with food items.  Somewhere by boat, somewhere by truck, somewhere by stepping on the water, he himself is going down to the waist-level water and carrying the relief sack on his shoulder, and he is delivering relief aid to every house of the water-logged people.  Again, they are going to different shelters and distributing cooked food.  The people who have taken shelter in the shelters are constantly being supervised. Many said that they did not receive any relief before Jakir Hossain came forward.  Ignoring the storm and rain, his activities continued from morning till night.  He also did food packaging with his staff at night.

Sarabesh Biswas, a resident of Gobindpur village in Jaifarnagar union of Juri Upazila, said that Jakir Hossain went to their area when it was raining in torrents.  Wet in the rain, he provided food aid to the flood-affected families in the areas.  He has extended a helping hand to the waterlogged people in their difficult times.

S M Jakir Hossain, former general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, said that his personal support would continue for the flood victims. People risked their lives on their own land despite having water inside and outside the house. He added that people whose houses were washed away by the flood lived in the shelters. He further said that he was trying to be by their side in this difficult time as much as he could.  He also requested everyone to stand by them.

TheMoulvibazarToday/ Sadi/ Saifullah