At least two people died and nearly 36 lakh people have been affected in ten districts as flash floods exacerbated by other factors kept worsening with the swelling of rivers caused by torrential rains and onrush of upstream water in northeastern and eastern parts of the country.

Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Faruk E Azam, Bir Protik and Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Md Kamrul Hasan are already on the way to see the situation in flood-affected areas while other advisers will also join.

"More than 36 lakh people are affected in ten districts," Chief Adviser's Press Shafiqul Alam told reporters on Thursday evening at Foreign Service Academy.

He said they have taken up the challenge to provide relief to the affected people in the districts. "We can confirm two deaths as of now," Alam added.

The two deaths were reported from Fulgazi upazila of Feni district and Brahmanbaria district, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

Among the districts, Feni is the worst-hit with six upazilas submerged by floodwater, rendering three lakh people stranded.

Floodwaters have severely damaged power lines, leading to a complete blackout in Parshuram, Fulgazi, and Chhagalnaiya upazilas since Tuesday. The lack of electricity and disrupted mobile network coverage has deepened the crisis, leaving residents stranded and without communication.

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief KM Ali Reza briefed the media about the overall flood situation of the country at the secretariat on Thursday.

Since the flood began on Tuesday, ten districts have so far been affected. Cumilla, Feni, Chattogram, Khagrachhari, Noakhali, Brahmanbaria, Habiganj and Moulvibazar are among the affected districts where 357 unions under 50 upazilas were submerged, affecting 294,946 people.

He said the water level of major rivers in the northeastern and eastern parts of the country is rising. According to the weather agencies, the trend of heavy rains may decrease in the northern, eastern and adjoining upstream areas of the country in the next 24 hours.

The flood situation in the low-lying areas of Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts along the Manu, Khowai and Dholai rivers may initially remain stable and improve later, he said.

Quoting weather offices, Ali Reza said that in the next 24 hours, the trend of heavy rains may decrease in the southeast, eastern and adjoining upstream areas of the country.

The flood situation in the low-lying areas of Feni, Cumilla and Chattogram districts along the rivers Muhuri, Feni, Gumti, Halda may initially remain stable but may improve later, he added.

A total of 440,480 families have been stranded by floodwaters in eight districts. A total of 1,534 shelters have been opened while 75,668 people have taken refuge.

In the flood-hit districts, 444 medical teams have been working to ensure treatment of the people.

Army and navy personnel have joined to rescue the trapped people while Border Guard Bangladesh is bringing water transports to rescue people.

He informed that 160 army personnel and 40 salvage vessels, 71 Navy personnel and eight salvage vessels were deployed in the flood-hit areas in Feni.

Besides, adequate relief materials have been stocked in all districts of the country, he said, adding that necessary instructions have been given to the deputy commissioners in the flood-affected districts to work together in coordination with the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, army, medical team and other volunteers.

A full-time control room has been opened at the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief with the number 02-55101115 for contact, the secretary added.

Mohammad Nazmul Abedin, joint secretary of the ministry, informed that a total of Tk 1.82 crore has been allocated for eight flood-hit districts.

On the other hand, 13,650 metric tonnes of relief rice have been allocated. Besides, 11,000 dry and other food packets have been allocated, he added.

In the current flood situation, the leave of the officials and employees of the offices and agencies under the Department of Posts and Telecommunications in Feni, Cumilla and other areas have been canceled to maintain constant contact with the people and repair the damaged towers, said the Posts and Telecommunications Ministry today.

4 die amid flood in Cumilla

At least four people died amid flood in Nangalkot, Chuaddagram and Sardar upazilas of Cumilla on Monday and Wednesday.

The deceased were Keramat Ali, 45, a resident of Daudpur area under Nangalkot municipality, Rafi, 15, Chhatra area in Cumilla city, Soharab Hossain Sohag, a lawyer of Salauddin intersection of the Cumilla city and Shahadat Hossain, 34, an expatriate of Sonakatia Purbo Para in Chauddagram municipality.

Of them, Keramat was washed away by floodwater on Wednesday night while fishing. Local residents began searching for him after he went missing in the strong current.

His body was later found floating. He was taken to a hospital where physicians declared him dead.

Rafi was electrocuted when he came in contact with an electric pole amid rains on Wednesday afternoon, said Dr. Joybair Hossain of Cumilla General Hospital.

Shahadat Hossain died on Wednesday morning when a tree fell on him while he was fishing in floodwater.

On Monday afternoon, lawyer Soharab died after being electrocuted at Salahuddin intersection when he came in contact with an electric wire submerged in rainwater while returning home from a diagnostic centre where he had taken his pregnant wife.

Army launches relief effort

Under the supervision of the Bangladesh Army, a relief distribution and financial aid initiative has been launched to support flood victims across the country, according to an ISPR press release on Thursday.

Individuals and institutions interested in contributing financially to this noble cause can donate to the "Logistics Area Relief Fund" at The Trust Bank Limited, Radisson Water Garden Hotel Branch. The account number for donations is 0018-0210010110. Additionally, donations can be made through bKash to the number 01769013858. For further information, the public can contact the relief management team at 01769-013604 or 01769-013530, it said.

For those wishing to provide relief materials in Dhaka, Bangladesh Army's Relief Distribution Management Centre is operational at the Central Ordnance Depot (COD), Military Wing, located near the Radisson Blu Hotel in Dhaka Cantonment. Contact numbers for this centre are 01769-051819, 01769-013832, 01769-013530, and 01769-013604.

In addition, individuals or organizations interested in directly providing relief assistance in flood-affected areas can contact the following numbers:

Feni: 01769-332032, 01769-332178.

Chattogram Metropolitan: 01769-244012.

Sitakunda-Mirsarai: 01728-202677, 01769-242132, 01769-242128.

Khagrachari: 01769-302342, 01769-302336.

Fatikchhari: 01769-272342, 01769-272336.

Moulvibazar and Habiganj: 01769170006.

Bangladesh Army has emphasized the importance of prioritizing essential food items such as biscuits, flattened rice (chira), molasses (gur), dates, buns and bread, noodles, oral saline, powdered milk, sugar, and drinking water. Essential non-food items, including matchboxes and candles, are also requested to be prioritized during relief efforts, added the release.

Bangladesh Army is committed to ensuring that relief reaches that in need efficiently and encourages all citizens to contribute in any way they can.