C T Online Desk: The recent flood in Feni has caused extensive damage across various industries, with estimated losses reaching approximately Tk200 crore.
Among the most severely affected is the Starline Group, which has reported the highest individual damage in the district.
Main Uddin, the director of the Starline Group, said that the total damage across sectors including Starline Food Products, transportation, flour and spice mills, fisheries and poultry, printing and packaging, livestock, and sweets products exceeds Tk114 crore.
Hira Biscuit Private Limited’s Anwar Hossain Bhuiyan said that factories in the Feni BSCIC and Chagalnaiya Nijkunja areas have suffered damage of about Tk25 crore.
Jafar Uddin, president of the District Brick Kiln Owners Association, claimed that the flood caused damage exceeding Tk50 crore to brick kilns in the district, affecting fired bricks, clay, and brick-making equipment.
The central area of the district experienced the most severe damage, with city businesses alone suffering losses exceeding Tk300 crore.
The largest wholesale market in the district has reported the highest losses, according to shop owners, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.
The flood also caused losses of Tk50 crore to businesses in five upazilas and Tk4 crore to the printing and paper industries.
Printing businesses reported damage amounting to Tk2 crore, particularly affecting presses on Trunk Road and in the inner market area, while paper traders reported losses of Tk2 crore.
Significant damage was also reported to essential goods.
Takiya Road and Islam Pur Road, which house numerous rice warehouses, were submerged under 5-7 feet of water. Warehouse owners reported the loss of approximately 25,000 tons of rice, valued at Tk150 crore.
Additionally, the flood caused losses of 150 tons of potatoes, 120 tons of onions, 70 tons of garlic, and 25 tons of ginger.
The total damage to shops selling daily necessities and cosmetics in Feni city is estimated to exceed Tk50 crore.
Mushfiqur Rahman Pipul, Director of the Feni Chamber of Commerce and Industries, noted that the flood’s impact will have long-term effects on businesses, exacerbated by the added burden of debt.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief reported that 56,065 semi-mud wall houses sustained partial damage.
In Feni sadar upazila alone, 255 such houses were completely washed away, resulting in losses of Tk10.71 crore. Thousands of homes across Phulgazi, Daganbhuiyan, Chhagalnaiya, Parshuram, and Sonagazi Upazilas were also damaged, with additional losses of Tk54.72 crore.
The situation is even worse for mud houses, where 8,095 were completely destroyed, including 5,070 in Chhagalnaiya and 696 in Feni Sadar. The total damage to these homes is estimated at Tk4.80 crore.
More than one million people in Feni have been affected by the flood, which has left thousands displaced and homes devastated across the district.
