Khowai River Dam Collapses, Flooding 20 Villages in Habiganj

Heavy rainfall and upstream rushing water have triggered breaches in two dams along the Khowai River, flooding at least 20 villages across Habiganj Sadar and Baniachang upazilas. Thousands of residents have been displaced as flash floods submerged houses, roads, and croplands.

On Thursday afternoon, a dam breach in Baniachang’s Radhapur area sent torrents of water into the local haor. By evening, another breach occurred at Kaliganj in Laskarpur Union, rapidly flooding 15 villages—including Noabad, Charhamua, and Sughar—leaving many homes waist-deep in water. Portions of Habiganj city, including Kamrapur and Danialpur, also reported waterlogging.

Erosion has intensified near Nalmukh Bazar in Chunarughat, putting dozens of families and educational institutions at risk. Furthermore, the city protection dam at Machulia Point remains highly vulnerable, prompting locals to reinforce it manually with bamboo. By late night, rising waters overflowed the Habiganj-Mirpur road, threatening to snap vital communication links.

According to the Water Development Board (WDB), the Khowai River is flowing dangerously high: 192 cm above the danger level at Balla point, 113 cm at Shayestaganj, and 140 cm at Machulia.

Senior administrative officials, including Habiganj Sadar UNO Abdullah Abu Zaher, inspected the affected zones and ordered emergency evacuations via loudspeakers. A district control room has been established to manage the crisis. The district administration has allocated BDT 5 lakh, 100 tonnes of rice, and 1,820 packets of dry food for immediate relief. Locals have urgently demanded swift dam repairs and continuous aid distribution.