Floods disrupt Sherpur-Jamalpur road links

Road communications between Sherpur and Jamalpur have been disrupted after the roads near Porar Dokan and Shimultali areas were submerged by flash floods.

Bus services from Sherpur to Jamalpur along with various northern routes from Dhaka, came to a halt resulting in an increase in transport costs, said Sujit Kumar Ghosh, general secretary of Sherpur Bus Owners Association. 

The Brahmaputra River had risen by 20cm at the Brahmaputra Bridge point by 6pm Friday and has been flowing over 7cm above the danger level, said Golam Mostafa, gauge reader of Jamalpur Water Development Board.

Many new parts of Sherpur, incuding Kamarer Char, Charpokkhimari, Bolaichar, Betmari, Ghughurakandi, Charmocharia in Sadar Upazila, Bhelua and Kharia Kazi Char Union in Sreebardi area were inundated on Friday, leaving thousands of people stranded.

Flooding has damaged homes, roads, amon rice seeds, educational institutions, and crop fields in these villages. A large number of ponds and fisheries have also been flooded, reports bdnews24.com.

At least four people, including a child and an elderly woman, have drowned in floodwaters in the last six days.

A section of Kamarer Char Bazar has also been flooded with boats and make-shift rafts becoming the only viable mode of transportation in that area. A herd of buffalos have been sent to Sherpur due to a dearth of dry lands in Balizuri area in Jamalpur's Madarganj Upazila.

"At least 172 villages under 35 unions have been inundated, leaving more than 63,000 people stranded.

Academic activities in at least 52 educational institutions have remained suspended for over a week," said district relief and rehabilitation officer Abdul Rouf.