Survivors recall 1991 cyclone that killed around 140,000 people

The evening of April 29, 1991, unfolded with a frightening gloom over the coasts of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar. Gusty winds swept through the coastal belt in the afternoon, a chilling introduction to what would become one of the deadliest cyclones ever recorded.

By midnight, the storm unleashed its fury. Winds screamed at 240km per hour and a surge of seawater, nearly 20 feet high, slammed into the coastline.

Kutub Uddin Chowdhury, a former chairman of Gondamara union parishad under Banshkhali upazila, sheltered at home with his family that fateful night. While he survived the horrific event, his wife, children and other relatives perished in the disaster.

“Even now, I shed tears whenever I remember them,” he said. “The night, my wife, my children -- these memories are forever etched in my mind.”

Today (Monday) marks the 33rd anniversary of the tragic natural disaster. Like Mr Chowdhury, thousands of families still carry the burden of loss, their lives forever marked by the cyclone that took their loved ones.

The storm’s wrath claimed an estimated 140,000 lives, leaving a trail of devastation across the vast coastline. Around 10 million were left homeless, according to an unofficial estimate.

The economic toll was huge, with damages exceeding $1.7 billion. Scattered bodies across the coastline became a grim symbol of the tragedy.

Wakar Uddin, a resident of Patenga, said, “We remember 29 April every year. We live in a high-risk zone for natural disasters like cyclones.”

Fatema Begum of Patenga sea beach area said, “The 1991 cyclone is unforgettable. If a similar cyclone strikes Chattogram again, we won’t be safe without adequate shelters.”

Atikul Islam, a businessman in Cox’s Bazar, recalled, “We lost everything in the 1991 cyclone. Everyone here became homeless. We still fear cyclones and natural disasters every year.”

To mark the anniversary, some social organisations such as Projonno Chattogram, Patenga Nagorik Parishad and Upakulio Unnyan Foundation have organised doa mahfils, discussions and other programmes.

Special prayers for the deceased, meals for the poor, remembrance meetings, a photo exhibition and candlelight vigils will also be held in Chattogram.

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