The Floods of Feni, Bangladesh: A Story of Hope and Ham Radio. When the floodwaters began to rise in Feni on August 19, it felt like the world had turned upside down. The usual hum of life in the district was swallowed by the sudden and unprecedented deluge, plunging the entire area into chaos. Communication lines went down, isolating everyone caught in the disaster. Amidst the turmoil, one of our own, Dr. Asif, found himself trapped by the encroaching waters. Asif is not just any man—he’s a ham radio operator like me callsign S21NWR. And in that moment of crisis, he did what any of us would do: he reached out. His call for help didn’t go to emergency services or government agencies, but to his fellow amateur radio operators in Dhaka. “We’re cut off,” he told us, his voice steady despite the growing danger. “I need your help to get the word out.” But we couldn’t reach him immediately. The roads were gone, and the waters kept rising. All we had was our radios, and so, from hundreds of kilometers away, Asif kept us updated on the situation in Feni. He told us how the flood was tearing through the district, leaving destruction in its wake. We knew we had to act. The decision was made quickly. Using our own funds and resources, we began coordinating a response. This wasn’t just a matter of helping Asif—this was about helping everyone caught in the flood. Traditional networks were down, so we, the amateur radio operators, had to fill that void. It was our duty. On the evening of August 22, we established our first base station on the rooftop of Tara Nibas, a 15-story building in Feni. I remember looking out over the flooded streets below and feeling a deep sense of urgency. We also set up a control room at the Deputy Commissioner’s office. That same night, at 9 PM, our first team—Sabbir Hossain S21ACP, Mob Jihad S21MOB, and Monirujjaman Rifat S21AIG—arrived to help. Fahim, another dedicated operator, took charge of coordinating with the DC’s office to make sure everything ran smoothly. By the next day, more operators had joined us, including Sunny S21TE, Mutammim Mahmud Asif S21NN, and Dr. Dipto S21HK, who brought along a team of medical students from the ‘Platform for Doctors and Medical Students’ community. Together, we extended our network further, setting up stations at the Mohipal Army Camp and a temporary Army Medical Camp. We knew time was against us, and every second counted. In Dhaka, we established a base at the Kakrail Scout HQ and another at my home in Demra. I couldn’t be at the scout office all the time, so having a station at home meant I could stay involved around the clock. The only catch was that I could only communicate one way—I couldn’t hear back from the team in Feni. But on the rooftop of that 15-story building, they managed to pick up my transmissions. They confirmed they could hear me, so I kept sending updates and information about people in need. Every bit of information I relayed helped the Army and the DC office direct their resources more effectively. As the flood raged on, our network became the lifeline for the entire region. The Army’s communication systems had been damaged by the flood, so they relied on us to keep in touch with their teams in the field. Every rescue boat deployed to the most distant and dangerous locations had one of our operators on board, maintaining a constant line of communication with the Feni control room. We had to conserve power, so after establishing contact every 30 minutes, we’d switch off our devices to save battery life. But we never lost that connection. At the DC office, there was a constant hum of activity. For the first four days, our team worked non-stop—24 hours a day—coordinating rescue efforts and relaying crucial information. Our work helped facilitate over 375 rescue missions across some of the most remote and difficult-to-reach areas like Parshuram and Phulgazi. Over a 70-kilometer radius, our amateur radio network was the only link between the different rescue units and the control room. Without us, the situation would have been far worse. But it wasn’t just me or any single person leading this effort. It was a community—a group of individuals from all walks of life, connected by our shared love of radio. We had scout members, Red Crescent volunteers, doctors, engineers, university students—people from all over the country. Many of us were connected through informal communities on social media, and when the time came, we mobilized like a well-oiled machine. It all started with a conversation in a Messenger group. A few of us who had received the Amateur Radio Service Certificate began discussing the situation. Under my coordination, along with Sunny and Asif, we devised a plan. “Feni will be our focus,” we decided. We talked about who could go, what equipment we had, and what steps we needed to take. Despite the challenges—like the limited number of radio devices allowed by BTRC and the high cost of importing equipment—we pushed forward. We were the first responders, the ones who kept the lines of communication open when everything else had failed. Looking back, I’m proud of what we accomplished. But it wasn’t just about the technology or the radios. It was about people. We weren’t operating under any official banner; we were just a group of friends, and friends of friends, doing what we could to help. And if we had to do it all over again, we wouldn’t hesitate for a second. Now, as communication slowly returns to Feni and the floodwaters begin to recede, I can’t help but think of the next crisis. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that when disaster strikes, we hams will be ready—ready to do whatever it takes to keep people connected and to help those in need. Even now, as the situation worsens in Noakhali, four of our members are there, extending our network, doing what we do best. And I know that no matter what comes next, we’ll rise to the challenge—because that’s what it means to be an amateur radio operator. Abdullah Al Fahad, S21AF.
People's Republic of Bangladesh is overpopulated. Nobody came by for to help? Anyway a good job, when it was possibel to rescue people from the flood.
Brilliant effort and a credit to all who assisted with the disaster. I hope the regulatory authorities recognize the value of Amateur Radio and loosen some of the restrictions they place on the Bangladesh Amateur Radio Community. Best wishes.... Robert VK3ARM (Grampians Region Victoria)
Absolutely, Gavin! Ham radio's ability to operate across such a wide range of frequencies, from HF to SHF, is what makes it so reliable, especially in times of need. Whether it's long-distance communication on HF or higher bandwidth applications on SHF, amateur radio operators are always ready to step in and support when other forms of communication might fail. It’s great to be part of a community that’s always there when it counts!
Absolutely, Gavin! Ham radio's ability to operate across such a wide range of frequencies, from HF to SHF, is what makes it so reliable, especially in times of need. Whether it's long-distance communication on HF or higher bandwidth applications on SHF, amateur radio operators are always ready to step in and support when other forms of communication might fail. It’s great to be part of a community that’s always there when it counts!
Hmmm...you find these stories highly exaggerated? As an American that lived in Bangladesh on/off for some years and experienced flooding first hand I am not sure how to interpret your comment. Was the 1970 Bhola cyclone a myth or highly exaggerated? [500,000 dead and number of deaths were actually way under reported]? Or, how about the 1985 cyclone to hit Chittigong? Highly exaggerated to say 11,000+ people died? The 1988 cyclone with 5,000+ dead. Fairy tale? And the 1991 cyclone to hit Bay of Bengal...150,000 dead. Another highly exaggerated story? And the list goes on an on. Unfortunately, these are NOT fairy tales... My goodness...21% of the entire nation of Bangladesh is flooded every year. This is a grim reality. Presently parts of Bangladesh are struggling with the very real possibility of water-born flood-related infectious diseases! https://www.agenzianova.com/en/news...least-71-deaths-fears-of-infectious-diseases/ Kudos to all the amateur radio operators who have helped during times of disaster and destruction! No offense! AJ6XW https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bangladesh_tropical_cyclones
