Floods and Landslides Disrupt Indigenous Catholic Communities in Bangladesh Hills

Continuous heavy to extremely heavy rainfall has triggered floods and landslides across several parts of Bangladesh, disrupting daily life in many areas, including remote hill regions where many Indigenous Catholic communities reside.

In the southeastern hill district of Bandarban, persistent rainfall over the past several days has caused rivers and streams to swell, damaging roads and disrupting transportation. Authorities have advised families living in landslide-prone areas to move to safer locations as the risk of further damage remains high.

Many Catholic families in Bandarban belong to Indigenous communities such as the Marma, Mro, and Khumi peoples. Living in remote villages across the hills, these communities have been among those affected by the floods and landslides, with difficulties reaching markets, schools, and healthcare facilities.

Fr. Sushil I. Soren, CSC, who serves at Bolipara Catholic Parish in Bandarban, said several days of heavy rainfall had caused flooding and landslides in the area.

“Many homes, roads, and other infrastructure have been affected by floodwaters. People in this region are already enduring tremendous hardship as they struggle to cope with the ongoing situation,” he said.

Emergency preparations have been strengthened across the three hill districts of Bandarban, Khagrachhari, and Rangamati. Authorities have arranged shelters in vulnerable areas to accommodate residents if evacuation becomes necessary.

Government agencies, including the district administration, Bangladesh Army, police, fire service, and disaster response teams, are monitoring the situation and assisting with rescue and relief operations.

Authorities have urged residents living near hills, unstable slopes, and landslide-prone areas to move to designated safe shelters and seek assistance from local disaster management authorities during emergencies.

According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, some of the highest rainfall levels in recent days have been recorded in Bandarban, Rangamati, and Chattogram, a major port city in southeastern Bangladesh.