Bangladesh: Millions flee their homes as flooding hits a third of the country

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Millions have been forced to flee their homes in Bangladesh because of floods triggered by monsoon rains.

The flooding, which has affected almost one-third of the country, shows no sign of abating due to continuous rain.

Most of the country's 16 rivers have overflowed - and according to local media reports, the torrential downpours have left at least 161 people dead.

In Char Khalpan, a village in Faridpur District, some people taking shelter elsewhere had returned home following news of the water receding.

But when they returned, they found that the water level was rising once more following days of rainfall.

"We came back when the water started receding, but now the water level is rising again every day," said one villager.

It comes as Bangladesh grapples with the coronavirus, with 292,625 confirmed cases and 3,907 deaths as of Sunday.

Officials in the country have warned that the joint impact of COVID-19 and flooding is pushing many people to the brink.