More than 2608* (The Daily Prothom-alo, 19th November) people dead, thousands people injured, loss of dwelling places, animals, crops, trees and other wealth by the cyclone sidr in last week. Barshal, Khulna Bagerhat, Gopalgonj are more affected but Cyclone sidr blew and destroyed all over the Bangladesh. After the two times floods and recent cyclone sidr made the people disappointed. I was living in Dhaka during these natural calamities.
We left our office before one hour ago of office ending period due to cyclone sidr (Thursday, 15.11.07). It was raining and blowing cold air from the early in the morning rain. But loading storm and heavy rain blew on Friday mid night when were became very much fearful. We lived in Dhaka without electricity, supply water at least 48 hours. We passed this time in the dark and we were afraid. We did not get any information as we had no electricity, mobile connection/charge etc. But we heard some people crying/ shouting/loud of storm as the some tin-shed house were broken beside my house.
We (office staffs) came to the office Saturday as usual. I went to visit the Malibagh road side slum near by our office to observe how they passed cyclone siddr night. They informed that they could not sleep that night as they wet in the rain and they tried to protect their house and beds, clothes from the rain and storm. Their house was made by polythin (plastic thin cover) and thin stick. Kulsum baowa’s house was broken and today (Saturday 17th November) she was making her house again. Saturday they were also making dry their wet rice, beds, clothes etc. An old women was making warm clothe (Katha) as two nights she suffered in very cold air. Some women have new born baby and they are taking care of their baby giving mustered oil and feeding best milk as their baby also wet/suffered cold airs in the last two days/nights.
There more than 30 families live in this slum. They have no electricity supply, no water supply or any other facilities to live there. Some families are new comer from the rural area in Bangladesh and they came during flood period in this year and some were evicted from their old slum in Kamalapur rail station’s slum. They have also made a latrine adjacent their houses which they only use during daytime and at night they complete their toileting in the roadside. They bring water from the nearby mosques or markets or nearby public toilets or kindness house owners but most of the time they have to steal water as often they are scolded or driven away. I have talked with Sufia and Komola and they came from Perojpur as their houses and lands were broken by the river and now they have nothing in the village. Now they are working as part time housemaid (buya) to the several houses. Korimon bewya (widow) is now begging in the Dhaka city door to door. They informed that they did not know anything about cyclone sidr and they have faced many serious natural calamities like this time. But they became more scare eviction by the police or govt. or mastans (local muscle men).
They are repairing their house after the cyclone “sidr” in Dhaka (Saturday, 19th November)
She is taking care of her new born baby and another child is helping her.
Karimon beowa is sewing and preparing a warm clothe (katha) by pieces of clothes which she collected from roads or beside houses.
After cooking lunch Halima is feeding her child.
This is their daytime latrine near their houses.
1 comment:
Very moving post. Good luck.
Post a Comment