Armed forces mobilise to aid flood-hit regions

Various armed forces and emergency services, including the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and fire service, are actively conducting rescue operations in flood-affected regions of Bangladesh.

In Khagrachhari, where flooding has severely impacted the area, the Chengi, Maini, and Kassalong rivers have risen two to six feet above the danger level, submerging surrounding areas.

The Army has relocated nearly 2,000 residents of the region to safer shelters and has been providing cooked meals and essential supplies, such as dry food, candles, matches, and saline, to remote areas.

The Army is working tirelessly to aid those affected by the floods, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement.

In a notable rescue, the Army airlifted a critically ill pregnant woman from Feni’s Fulgazi upazila to Cumilla CMH using an Army Aviation helicopter.

The Army is actively conducting rescue operations, providing emergency medical care, and distributing relief in critical areas assigned under the Sylhet, Chattogram, and Cumilla cantonments to address the current flood situation, reads a post on the verified Facebook page of the Bangladesh Army.

They will continue these efforts until the flood situation improves, the post states.

The Bangladesh Navy is also actively involved in flood response, particularly in Feni.

The agency has supplied 7,000 litres of clean drinking water to meet the urgent needs of flood victims. Special rescue teams, including naval divers, are working around the clock in the affected areas.

In a post on their verified social media page, the Navy has urged everyone to support the rescue teams, who are risking their lives to assist those in need.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard is conducting extensive relief and rescue operations in Feni and Habiganj. They are rescuing people from flooded areas, providing food and clean drinking water, and using their diving teams to transport people to safety.

The Fire Service and Civil Defence are also engaged in rescue efforts, supported by local volunteers. A monitoring cell has been established in Dhaka to oversee the operations.

The department’s Director-General, Brigadier General Md Main Uddin, inspected the flood-affected regions in Feni and the ongoing rescue efforts on Friday (23 August).

Under the direction of the department chief, the fire service has deployed teams from Chattogram, Dhaka, and Barishal to Feni and adjacent areas, equipped with various rescue tools, including boats and life-saving gear.

According to a post on the department’s verified social media, fire and civil defence teams have rescued 779 people from the flooded areas as of Friday evening.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with 24-hour flood disaster rescue services available through local fire stations and a departmental control room. Fire stations are also being used as shelters for those displaced by the floods.