Bangladesh floods and landslides kill at least 50 as millions remain stranded
At least 50 people have been confirmed dead after flooding and landslides swept across Bangladesh following days of torrential monsoon rain. The disaster has left millions of people stranded, with food shortages reported in some of the worst-hit areas. The south-eastern city of Chattogram and surrounding districts have been among the hardest hit.
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The disaster management ministry said flooding across seven districts had disrupted daily life, isolated thousands of families and stranded 267,918 households. The affected districts are Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Moulvibazar and Habiganj. Officials said power outages, damaged roads and broken communication links were slowing rescue and relief efforts.
Residents in flooded areas have reported being unable to cook for days after water entered their homes and left mud inside kitchens and living spaces. Some families are relying on dry food such as flattened rice, puffed rice and biscuits, while emergency supplies are being distributed. Army and navy personnel are ferrying food, drinking water, medicines and other essentials by boat to communities cut off by washed-out roads and damaged bridges.
The scale of the disruption underlines how vulnerable Bangladesh remains to seasonal monsoon flooding and landslides. The country is low-lying and densely populated, and heavy rain can quickly overwhelm drainage systems, damage transport links and isolate rural communities. In the south-east, hilly terrain around districts such as Bandarban and Rangamati also increases the risk of landslides when rainfall is prolonged.
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The current disaster is affecting both urban and rural areas, with Chattogram described as one of the hardest-hit locations and food supplies running low. Disaster Management and Relief Minister Iqbal Hossain said the government was doing everything possible to support flood victims. He said relief, safe drinking water and medical supplies were being distributed, and urged people whose homes had been inundated to move to the nearest shelter.
What remains unclear is how quickly access will improve for isolated communities and whether the death toll will rise further as assessments continue. Relief operations are still being hampered by damaged infrastructure and broken communications, and officials have not yet given a full estimate of the wider economic damage. The situation is likely to remain fluid as authorities continue rescue work and distribute aid to the most affected districts.
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