Date: July 11, 2026 l Reporter: Bill James
At least 44 people have died and more than one million residents have been stranded after days of torrential monsoon rains triggered widespread flooding and deadly landslides across southeastern Bangladesh, creating one of the country's worst weather disasters of the year and prompting a massive humanitarian response.
According to Bangladeshi authorities, relentless rainfall inundated vast areas across seven districts—Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Moulvibazar, and Habiganj—forcing hundreds of thousands of families from their homes and leaving entire communities cut off from roads, electricity, and communication networks. Officials said more than 267,000 households have been directly affected, while countless others remain isolated as floodwaters continue to submerge villages, farmland, and key transport routes.
The flooding has been accompanied by a series of landslides in hilly areas, particularly around Cox's Bazar, where unstable, rain-soaked slopes collapsed onto homes and refugee settlements. Earlier in the week, landslides killed 16 people in Rohingya refugee camps, adding to the growing death toll from the disaster and highlighting the vulnerability of displaced communities living in temporary shelters built on steep hillsides.
Rescue operations have intensified as Bangladesh's army, navy, emergency services, and local volunteers work to reach isolated communities. Boats have become the primary means of transportation in many flooded areas after roads and bridges were washed away or rendered impassable. Relief teams are distributing emergency food supplies, safe drinking water, medicines, and other essential items to thousands of stranded families, although damaged infrastructure has significantly slowed aid deliveries.
Authorities said many residents have been unable to cook because their homes remain underwater or filled with mud, forcing families to rely on dry food and emergency rations. Thousands have sought refuge in temporary shelters established by local governments, while disaster management officials continue urging people living in high-risk areas to evacuate as additional rainfall is forecast.
Bangladesh experiences severe flooding almost every year during the annual monsoon season, but scientists warn that climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events across South Asia. Rising temperatures have contributed to heavier rainfall, while rapid urbanization, deforestation, and settlement in flood-prone areas have increased the vulnerability of communities to disasters such as floods and landslides.
The humanitarian situation is especially concerning in Cox's Bazar, home to the world's largest refugee settlement, where more than one million Rohingya refugees who fled violence in neighbouring Myanmar continue to live in densely populated camps. Built largely from bamboo and tarpaulin on fragile hillsides, these settlements face repeated threats from monsoon rains, flooding, and landslides each year despite ongoing efforts to improve drainage and relocate families from the most dangerous areas.
The floods have also caused widespread economic disruption. Agricultural land has been submerged, livestock losses have been reported, and businesses in affected districts have been forced to suspend operations. Transport links connecting rural communities to major cities remain interrupted, complicating both rescue efforts and the delivery of commercial goods. Officials warn that prolonged flooding could damage crops and increase food prices if waters do not recede quickly.
Meteorologists have warned that additional rainfall remains possible over the coming days, raising concerns that rivers could overflow further and trigger new flooding or landslides in already saturated areas. Emergency agencies remain on high alert as weather conditions continue to be monitored closely.
For many families, the disaster represents another painful chapter in Bangladesh's long struggle against extreme weather. While the country has significantly improved its disaster preparedness and early warning systems over recent decades, the scale of the current flooding demonstrates the continuing challenges posed by increasingly severe climate-related events.
As rescue operations continue and humanitarian agencies expand relief efforts, the immediate priority remains reaching isolated communities, preventing disease outbreaks, and ensuring that displaced families receive food, clean water, medical care, and shelter. The full extent of the damage is expected to become clearer only after floodwaters begin to recede, allowing authorities to assess the impact on homes, infrastructure, agriculture, and livelihoods across the affected regions.