Flood Took Away Home, Business and Hope: Nazira Entrepreneur Struggles to Rebuild

NAZIRA, August 1, 2026 — Even though floodwaters have receded from Nazira, the suffering of thousands of affected residents continues. Families are struggling to clean mud-filled homes, recover damaged belongings, and rebuild their lives after one of the worst floods to hit the region.

In the flood-ravaged Holongkhatani area near Nazira town, one such story is that of Pankaj Dutta, a young entrepreneur whose life was turned upside down overnight.

Until the disaster, Dutta ran a bakery that provided employment to 35 local youths. Known in the area for his willingness to help others, he is now among those seeking support after losing almost everything.

Recalling the night of July 19, Dutta said the flood struck with terrifying speed.

"It didn't feel like a flood—it was like a catastrophe. Within just 10 minutes, water engulfed our house. I rushed my parents to the rooftop and left everything else behind," he said.

As he spoke, workers were removing the few belongings that could be salvaged from his mud-filled home on a pushcart.

The sudden surge of floodwaters destroyed nearly everything inside the house. Faced with the emergency, Dutta focused on saving his parents, leaving no time to rescue household possessions.

Now burdened with loans worth several lakhs that he had taken to expand his business, Dutta faces an uncertain future. His bakery remains severely affected, leaving the livelihoods of 35 employees in doubt.

Holongkhatani was among the worst-hit localities during the Dikhow River floods. Residents said floodwaters rose to nearly 15 to 20 feet on the night of July 19, submerging more than 300 houses within hours.

Although emergency relief, including food and clothing, helped families survive the immediate crisis, many residents are now confronting the much harder challenge of rebuilding their homes, businesses, and livelihoods.

For Dutta and hundreds of other flood survivors in Nazira, the flood may have receded, but the struggle to recover has only just begun.