30 killed as monsoon rains trigger landslides in southeastern Bangladesh

At least 30 people have been killed as heavy monsoon rains have continued and caused landslides in the hilly southeastern districts in Bangladesh since Sunday, the disaster minister told the parliament on Thursday.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu told the National Parliament that the ongoing heavy rains across the country, particularly in the southeastern Chattogram division, have caused the deaths of 30 people.

The highest 19 deaths occurred in coastal Cox’s Bazar, where about 1.2 million Rohingya have been taking shelter since August 2017 after fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar.

He also said that shelter centers have already been opened in the affected areas to deal with the disaster.

“Every year, there are deaths due to living under the hills or in risky areas. To permanently resolve this situation, vulnerable families will be rehabilitated on government land and houses will be built for them,” assured the minister.

Md. Salah Uddin, deputy secretary of the relevant ministry, told Anadolu over the phone that the deaths, including five on Thursday, were caused by landslides and other flood-related incidents as heavy rains hit the hilly Chattogram division, comprising four districts, including Cox's Bazar.

Furthermore, natural disasters claimed the lives of up to 249 people between 2021 and 2025, with floods, cyclones, and other natural disasters causing approximately 412 billion Bangladeshi takka (about $3.3 million) in damage, the minister informed the parliament.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Bangladesh Flood Forecasting and Warning Center warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall was likely to cause flooding in four divisions, including Chattogram, over the next 72 hours.

Meanwhile, UNHCR Bangladesh on Thursday said that an estimated 504,500 people across eight towns could be exposed to flash flooding, including Rohingya refugee camps, where saturated soils continue to increase the risk of slope failures, localized flooding, and disruptions to humanitarian operations.

According to the Rohingya Coordination Platform Daily Incidents Dashboard, between 4 July and 9 July, weather-related incidents resulted in 15 fatalities, 18 injuries, and the temporary displacement of 4,307 individuals in the Rohingya camps.

The total government list of 30 casualties includes 15 refugees in the Rohingya camps.