The death count from floods in Bangladesh this week has risen to eight, leaving more than two million affected after heavy rains caused major rivers to burst their banks, officials confirmed Saturday.

The South Asian nation of 170 million people, crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers, has seen more frequent floods in recent decades.

Climate change has made rainfall more erratic and melting glaciers upstream in the Himalayan mountains.

Two teenage boys were killed when a boat capsized in flood waters in Shahjadur, the northern rural town’s police chief Sabuj Rana told AFP.

“There were nine people in the small boat. Seven swam to safety. Two boys did not know how to swim. They drowned,” he said.

Bishwadeb Roy, a police chief in Kurigram, told AFP that three others had been killed in two separate electrocution incidents after their boats became entangled with live electricity wires in flood water.

Another three died in separate flood-related incidents around the country, officials told AFP earlier this week.

The government said it has opened hundreds of shelters for people displaced by the waters and sent food and relief to hard-hit districts in the country’s north region.

“More than two million people have been affected by the floods. Seventeen of the country’s 64 districts have been affected,” Kamrul Hasan, the secretary of the country’s disaster management ministry, told AFP.

Hasan said the flood situation may worsen in the north over the coming days with the Brahmaputra, one of Bangladesh’s main waterways, flowing above danger levels in some areas.

In the worst-hit Kurigram district, eight out of nine rural towns have been marooned by flood water, local disaster and relief official Abdul Hye told AFP.

“We live with floods here. But this year the water was very high. In three days, Brahmaputra rose by six to eight feet (2-2.5 metres),” Abdul Gafur, a local councillor in the district, told AFP.

“Flood water has inundated more than 80 percent of homes in my area. We are trying to deliver food, especially rice and edible oil. But there is a drinking water crisis.”

Bangladesh is in the middle of the annual summer monsoon, which brings South Asia 70-80 percent of its annual rainfall, as well as regular deaths and destruction due to flooding and landslides.

The rainfall is hard to forecast and varies considerably, but scientists say climate change is making the monsoon stronger and more erratic.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

This aerial view shows an area partially submerged in flood at Rangpur district on July 6, 2024. The death toll from floods in Bangladesh this week has risen to eight, leaving more than two million affected after heavy rains caused major rivers to burst their banks, officials confirmed on July 6
| Photo Credit: AFP

The death toll from floods in Bangladesh this week has risen to eight, leaving more than two million affected after heavy rains caused major rivers to burst their banks, officials confirmed on July 6.

The South Asian nation of 170 million people, crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers, has seen more frequent floods in recent decades.

Climate change has made rainfall more erratic and melting glaciers upstream in the Himalayan mountains.

Two teenage boys were killed when a boat capsized in flood waters in Shahjadur, the northern rural town’s police chief Sabuj Rana told AFP.

“There were nine people in the small boat. Seven swam to safety. Two boys did not know how to swim. They drowned,” he said.

Bishwadeb Roy, a police chief in Kurigram, said that three others had been killed in two separate electrocution incidents after their boats became entangled with live electricity wires in flood water.

Another three died in separate flood-related incidents around the country, officials told AFP earlier this week.

The government said it has opened hundreds of shelters for people displaced by the waters and sent food and relief to hard-hit districts in the country’s north region.

“More than two million people have been affected by the floods. Seventeen of the country’s 64 districts have been affected,” Kamrul Hasan, the secretary of the country’s disaster management ministry, told AFP.

Hasan said the flood situation may worsen in the north over the coming days with the Brahmaputra, one of Bangladesh’s main waterways, flowing above danger levels in some areas.

In the worst-hit Kurigram district, eight out of nine rural towns have been marooned by flood water, local disaster and relief official Abdul Hye told AFP.

“We live with floods here. But this year the water was very high. In three days, Brahmaputra rose by six to eight feet [2-2.5 metres],” Abdul Gafur, a local councillor in the district, told AFP.

“Flood water has inundated more than 80 percent of homes in my area. We are trying to deliver food, especially rice and edible oil. But there is a drinking water crisis.”

Bangladesh is in the middle of the annual summer monsoon, which brings South Asia 70-80% of its annual rainfall, as well as regular deaths and destruction due to flooding and landslides.

The rainfall is hard to forecast and varies considerably, but scientists say climate change is making the monsoon stronger and more erratic.

File image of Shakib Al-Hasan.© X (Twitter)

Taskin Ahmed in action for Bangladesh during T20 World Cup 2024© AFP

Gulbadin Naib dramatically falling on his back, clutching his thigh after Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott signalled his players to slow things down in the T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh caused both amusement and annoyance as former players questioned the genuineness of his discomfort. Naib, who was fielding in the slip cordon, complained of cramps during the 12th over bowled by spinner Noor Ahmad, after Trott was seen on camera asking his players to slow down as Bangladesh had fallen behind on the Duckworth-Lewis par score in the rain-hit Super 8 clash.

The match saw frequent rain interruptions and Bangladesh, at that stage, were 81 for 7, two runs behind on the DLS par score in a revised chase of 114 in 19 overs. Afghans eventually prevailed by eight runs to enter their maiden World Cup semifinal.

“The coach sends a message out to say slow it down, slow it down and the first slip just dives on the ground needlessly. That is unacceptable. Gone off anyway. I get that might have gone off anyway for the rain,” said Simon Doull while commentating.

Zimbabwean commentator Pommie Mbangwa quipped: “Oscar, Emmy?”.

This is Unacceptable

This is cheating from Afghanistan

Bangladesh scored 81 Runs before the rain and they were only 2 Runs behind par score and Gulbadin Naib do this to avoid Bangladesh victory on DLS

Once a cheater always a Cheater pic.twitter.com/oEnVPlcFCP

— Imran Siddique (@imransiddique89) June 25, 2024

Naib was given treatment and was taken off the field by teammate Naveen-ul-Haq and a support staff as it started raining again and players ran to the dugout. Later, Gulbadin Naib shared an image of Afghanistan’s physio with a cheeky caption: “Wonders can happen Prashanth Panchada My physio”

When play resumed after a shot delay, the target for Bangladesh was revised.

Naib was soon back on the field in the 13th over with Najibullah Zadran substituting him briefly. The all-rounder also rolled his arms over and dismissed Tanzim Hasan in the 15th over to reduce Bangladesh to 92 for 8.

Social media was also abuzz with players and fans reacting to the incident.

“Red card for Gulbadin Naib,” tweeted India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in ‘X’.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan wrote: “Spirit of cricket is alive & kicking… Great to see Gulbadin become the first cricketer in the history of the game to get a wicket 25 mins after being shot…” Former New Zealand cricketer and commentator Ian Smith said: “I’ve a dodgy knee for the last 6 months, I am gonna see Gulbadin Naib’s doctor straight after the game. He’s the 8th wonder of the world right now.”

India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has thrown his weight behind Afghanistan star Gulbadin Naib amid criticism over his antics in the T20 World Cup Super 8 match against Bangladesh. Afghanistan wrote a new chapter in its cricketing history, qualifying for the T20 World Cup semi-finalists for the first time ever. During the dying embers of the match, Naib allegedly feigned injury after coach Jonathan Trott apparently sent signals slow down. Afghanistan were ahead of DLS with rain interrupting the match at that time. Naib immediately fell down on the ground. While his antics had sparked a laughing riot initially, fans and experts later criticised Naib for faking an injury, and accused the player of ‘cheating’.

However, Ashwin, who had jokingly said that Naib should be given a red card, has now defended the player, saying that he is playing for the whole of Afghanistan.

“Gulbadin Naib fell that way. Everyone said that is a penalizable offense. But what the hell, man? The guy is playing for his country, trying to win a World Cup, qualify,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Further sharing his views on the ‘cheating’ allegations, Ashwin suggested that not just Naib, all the players in the Afghanistan team are playing for one another, and the people back home. Ashwin added that he has never seen a team playing with such unity. 

“In Afghanistan, it is not just momentum. It is a country with so much hope. They are playing for one another. This playing for one another, we can say a thousand things about it. We can say it to so many people. Doesn’t Indiaplay for one another? For the badge? Of course. But Afghanistan, at this stage of their cricketing journey, are playing for one another like I have never seen anything like this,” he added. 

Ahead of Afghanistan’s maiden T20 World Cup semi-final appearance, head coach Jonathan Trott affirmed his side was not perturbed by the big occasion.

“We go into the semifinal with no scarring or no history. This is uncharted territory for us. But, by no means, do we feel like we’re going into the semifinal just to compete.

“We’re there to win the semifinal. We’ve beaten some major teams,” Trott said after the win over Bangladesh.

Rashid Khan-led Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh in a thrilling match to qualify in the historic first-ever T20 World Cup semi-finals. Afghanistan defeated Najmul Shanto’s Bangladesh by 8 runs using the DLS system, eliminating one of the favourites, Australia, from the race for the semi-final. After impressive triumphs over T20I cricket giants such as New Zealand and Australia during the same T20 World Cup run, Rashid’s Afghanistan made it to the last four. The Afghan spin maestro Rashid played a significant role in this victory by not only confusing the Australian hitters with his deliveries but also engaging in some fun banter with Indian captain Rohit Sharma.

Afghanistan captain took to social media on Tuesday to share a photo with his Indian opponent Rohit after both teams advanced to the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals.

Following the match, Rashid posted a message on Instagram that read: “Bambai se aaya mera dost [My friend from Mumbai has arrived],” a clever allusion to Rohit Sharma, who is from Mumbai, and how India and Afghanistan collaborated to remove Australia.

Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by 8 runs in their final Super 8s match to eliminate Australia and become the second team, after India, to reach the elimination stage from Group 1. This is the first time Afghanistan has reached the semifinals of a global tournament.

India had made Australia’s qualification more difficult by defeating them just hours earlier in Saint Lucia. Afghanistan was placed second following their surprising victory over Australia a few days previously.

Coming to the match that Afghanistan will always remember, Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq led the Afghan bowling attack and helped their side defend the given target of 115. The second inning of the match was reduced to 19 overs, and the target was 114 runs after Rain played a spoilsport in the second inning.

After the defeat, Mitchell Marsh-led Australia are also out of the tournament. The Aussies ended up in third place in the Group 1 table of the Super Eights with just two points.

Afghanistan booked their place in the final four when they overcame Bangladesh’s fight in the final game of the Super Eights in St Vincent. After scoring 115/5 in the first innings, Afghanistan bowled out Bangladesh for 105 in a rain-affected game, securing an 8-run win (DLS method).

Rashid Khan throws his bat in frustration at Karim Janat during Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup match.© Twitter

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma talking about Rishabh Pant© X (Twitter)

The Afghanistan vs Bangladesh T20 World Cup game saw a controversial moment, when Afghanistan’ Gulbadin Naib fell on the ground], apparently due to injury. Naib, who was fielding in the slip cordon, complained of cramps during the 12th over bowled by spinner Noor Ahmad, after Trott was seen on camera asking his players to slow down as Bangladesh had fallen behind on the Duckworth-Lewis par score in the rain-hit Super 8 clash.

The match saw frequent rain interruptions and Bangladesh, at that stage, were 81 for 7, two runs behind on the DLS par score in a revised chase of 114 in 19 overs. Afghans eventually prevailed by eight runs to enter their maiden World Cup semifinal.

“The coach sends a message out to say slow it down, slow it down and the first slip just dives on the ground needlessly. That is unacceptable. Gone off anyway. I get that might have gone off anyway for the rain,” said Simon Doull while commentating.

Zimbabwean commentator Pommie Mbangwa quipped: “Oscar, Emmy?”.

Naib was given treatment and was taken off the field by teammate Naveen-ul-Haq and a support staff as it started raining again and players ran to the dugout.

“Kabi khushi kabi gham main huta hai (It happens sometimes when you are happy or when you are sad). Hamstring,” Naib later said in a post on X, dotted with laughing emojis.

So, can Naib be banned if he was faking injury?

According to ICC’s Code of Conduct, ‘time-wasting’ is deemed a level 1 or 2 offense under Article 2.10.7. For Level 1 offense, maximum punishment is 100% match-fee fine and two suspension points. If a player is gioven four suspension points in one year, may be banned for either one Test match or two ODIs or T20Is.

Additionally, according to Article 41.9 of the ICC’s playing conditions for T20Is, a bowler or a fielder’s time-wasting technique is liable to be punished with a five-run penalty. The umpire has the authority to do so, but in the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh T20 World Cup match such a thing was not given.

There is a provision for invetigation after the game if a timewasting is found to be deliberate. “If the umpires believe that the act of time wasting was deliberate or repetitive, they may lodge a report under the ICC Code of Conduct. In such circumstances the Captain and/or any individual members of the fielding team responsible for the time wasting will be charged,” according to the ICC playing conditions.

No such news has come so far that the match officials and ICC are opening an investigation against Naib. Also, Naib has said that he was facing injury issues, which makes it difficult to prove that the time-wasting was deliberate.