Dhaka, Manikganj, Narayanganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur and Barisal still reeled under floodwaters that marooned lakhs of people in their submerged villages.

Our Manikganj correspondent adds: Road links of all upazilas with the district headquarters were cut off and around four lakh people were stranded in their inundated homes.

In the shoals of Harirampur and Daulatpur upazilas, one lakh people were marooned without bare necessities, including food and drinking water.

Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain visited Paturia and Daulatdia ferry terminals and Deputy Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Asadul Habib visited the flood-hit areas in Manikganj and Ghior yesterday. The deputy minister distributed rice and cash among the flood victims.

The situation in Narayanganj took an alarming turn as more areas in seven unions in Sadar upazila went under water, marooning over 10 lakh people.

In Shariatpur, more areas went under water as the Padma began to swell.

BSS adds: Heavy downpour during the last three days swamped four upazilas in Madaripur district, affecting 50,000 people.

The low-lying areas of Sadar and Shibchar upazilas went under water causing serious crop damage.

Nearly 50 feet of the Bogra-Rangpur highway protection shield along the Karotoa gave in to rushing waters at Hawakhana, threatening road communication. Workers of Roads and Highways Department were trying to repair the vulnerable section.

The Gobindaganj-Dinajpur Highway was still swamped with floodwaters, bringing further sufferings to the working class living along the road.

Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf yesterday visited Fulchari, Gaibandha Sadar and Sunderganj areas and distributed relief goods among the distressed people.

Our Barisal correspondent adds: Flooding and river erosion gathered pace in the northern and western regions of the district.

According to local leaders, the situation in at least 80 villages in Hizla, Muladi and Uzirpur upazilas deteriorated further, swamping scores of villages.

According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the situation in Manikganj, Munshiganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Narsingdi, Narayanganj and Kishoreganj is likely to remain unchanged, but improve in Pabna, Tangail, Rajbari, Faridpur, Gaibandha, Bogra, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Kurigram and Naogaon.

Flooding in the Meghna basin is also likely to improve further, it added.

"The overall flood situation in the country is improving as water levels in major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Meghna and Padma are falling although some are still flowing above danger level," a weatherman said.

The Brahmaputra-Jamuna marked further fall at all points and is likely to fall further, while the Padma showed fall at all points except at Rajshahi.

The rivers around Dhaka city are flowing close to danger levels and are likely to rise further, it added.

The FFWC bulletin said the Brahmaputra-Jamuna continued to fall and is flowing below danger level at all points except at Sirajganj and Aricha. The Ganges-Padma registered fall at all points except at Rajshahi where it remained steady and is still flowing above danger level at Goalundo and Bhagyakul.

The current flood, triggered by torrential monsoon rains and waters from the upstream, has inundated over 1.5 million hectares of cropland in a month-long fury.