Shantimoy Chakma, Rangamati
Two persons including a three-year old child were killed and seven others were injured in a landslide at Chandraghona Kalabagan Mali Colony under Kaptai upazila of the district on Monday afternoon. The deceased were identified as three-year old Uzzal Mollick and Tahmina Akhter, 25, daughter of Gafur Miah. Seven slightly injured persons were released after providing first aid.
Nejarat deputy collector (NDC) Uttam Kumar Das and chairman of Kaptai upazila Mofizul Islam confirmed the incident to this correspondent. Md Ashraf Uddin, officer in-charge of Chandraghona police station, told the Bangladesh Post: “The landslide took place when a big chunk of earth slid from the hill and fell on two houses built at the foothill at Mali Colony around 12:30pm, burying the two alive on the spot. Later, police with the help of local people recovered the bodies.”
Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati AKM Mamunur Rashid allotted cash Tk 40 thousand to each victim’s family on Monday. Heavy non-stop downpour over the past couple of days triggered landslides in different areas in the district, administration sources said. Meanwhile, Rangamati district administration has opened 21 shelter centres up with the hotline land phone number of 0351-63750 in the district town, and asked the people those who are living in the risky places with loud speaker to move to safer places or shelter centres, said NDC Uttam Kumar Das.
On the other hand, inter-district road communication between Rangamati-Bandarban has been snapped due to inundation of road at various points and breaking down of an under-construction bridge at Balaghata area on the, said sources. Earlier, two years ago, on June 13, 2017, 120 people were killed in landslides due to heavy rain in Rangamati hill district.
