Waiting for assistance

 

From Khuriakhali, Bangerhat: It was a tough task to enter here because almost every road of entering Khuriakhali is unfit for vehicles. But one canal is available to come here. That’s why I started to come here through a tiny boat on Friday (23 November, 2007). Dead bodies of several animals and birds were floating on the canal.

I have seen the dead body of human being in this canal. Few of them are children and women. Those dead bodies are floating side by side. Initiative of putting these dead bodies at a suitable place had not been taken since almost after the nine days. These dead bodies swelled at that moment. According to dwellers statement, this village is smashed and 300 people died where the total population is nearly 6,000.

Dwellers of Khuriakhali were bewailing for want of food. They not got any governmental or non-governmental assistance since today. Local dweller Abdul Jollil said, “Our village is situated between Southkhali and Swarankhola. Relief does not come through river-way till our village. On the other hand there is no place of getting down helicopter. We are not getting any assistance for this reason.”

Some ponds in this village were the store of uncontaminated water. But now this pond water is not suitable to drink after the cyclone. Because water is polluted by waste and leaf of trees. Collecting drinking water is very difficult at this moment. But life is not stopped .They are taking bath and washing household utensils with this polluted water.

Dwellers of Khuriakhali mainly do three types of activities. Such as, cultivating, fishing and gardening. Cyclone Sidr has taken everything. Nothing is rest. Recently ripped paddy of hundreds of land is ruined. Ponds are available without fish. For this reason, not only the poor people but also the middle class people are resource less now.

Dwellers of this village not went to cyclone shelter in spite of getting the news of cyclone. Local dweller Kamrul Islam said, “I heard that tsunami is coming through announcement few days ago. Many people went to secured places at that moment. But even rainfall not occurred at that night. Many times we did so but nothing happened. We assumed that nothing will happen at this time also. For this reason many people not went to secured places.”

Kamrul also said, “No cyclone shelter is situated at this village. One cyclone shelter is available which is two kilometer far from here. Dwellers of this village can not get place on this cyclone shelter at the time of flood and cyclone. So, at least two cyclone shelters are needed in this village. If it is done, many people will get shelter in future.

Friday afternoon “Voice of South” in collaboration with “Technology today” distributed aid including money, medicine and cloths to nearly 150 cyclone sufferers. Luckily we have chosen this small village where no one provided aid before us. I want to give special thanks to those who raised their hands with us and contributed to our relief fund. We have got quick support from Agni Systems Ltd, BDCOM Online Ltd, Global Online Services Ltd, Grameen Cyber Net Ltd etc. Our initiatives would not be possible without their cordial support.

It is appreciating that many organizations of home and abroad is taking initiatives to help cyclone devastated people. But appropriate allocation of relief is not being possible because of coordination. For this reason, few devastated areas are getting relief and others are not. Dwellers of Southkhali are getting relief but dwellers of Khuriakhali are not getting relief which is situated just two kilometers away from Southkhali. They are waiting for assistance looking at uncertain future.

Norwegian News media Aftenposten published images and videos regarding our effort for cyclone sufferers. You may take a look on this by visiting the link given below:
http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/article2118138.ece

Photography: Voice of South

Tags: Bangerhat, Cyclone Sidr, Khuriakhali

Category: Climate Change