Displaced Family Battles Poverty and Ruin in Flood-Ravaged Cox’s Bazar
Photo Collected
A family in the Garjania Union of Cox’s Bazar is facing an acute humanitarian crisis after recent heavy rainfall and flash floods destroyed their home. Rokeya Begum, 40, and her husband, Dil Mohammad, 67, are currently sheltering under makeshift plastic sheets after the walls of their earthen house collapsed during the severe monsoon weather that has battered the region since early July.
The catastrophe in Ramu Upazila, fueled by an overflow of the Bakkhali River, has displaced thousands across 11 unions. For the family of six, however, the damage is particularly debilitating. Rokeya, who has been blind in one eye since birth, serves as the primary breadwinner for her family, which includes four school-aged daughters. Her husband, once an auto-rickshaw driver, has been unable to work for the past five years after losing a leg in a road accident.
বিজ্ঞাপন
According to firsthand accounts, the family’s living conditions are dire. With their home’s walls reduced to rubble, the interior remains exposed to the elements, leaving their belongings and schoolbooks damp and unprotected. Despite the lack of a dry area for cooking or studying, the children have remained committed to their education, often spreading plastic sheets on the muddy ground to continue their lessons whenever the rain relents.
Financial strain has compounded the family’s struggle. Rokeya, who typically earns 500 taka daily through agricultural labor, has been unable to secure consistent work throughout the current month. While the local Union Parishad provided emergency relief, including five kilograms of rice, staples, and 5,000 taka in cash, the family remains in desperate need of a permanent, safe shelter.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The couple expressed deep emotional distress regarding their inability to provide for their children’s future. Rokeya voiced her heartbreak over not being able to purchase basic school supplies, while her husband noted the helplessness he feels as a father confined to their damaged home. Their children—Ummey Habiba, Ummey Salma, Jannatul Mawa, and Akhy Akter—continue to prioritize their studies despite the surrounding hardship.
Local authorities have acknowledged the family’s plight. Ramu Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Zillur Rahman stated that officials have assessed the situation and are currently working to secure long-term support for the family, including disability allowances, permanent housing, and guaranteed educational assistance for the children.
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