Rangpur, June 20 -- The water level of the Teesta River is rising rapidly due to continuous rainfall and upstream inflows, bringing it dangerously close to the danger mark and raising fears of flood in five northern districts of Bangladesh.

Amitabh Chowdhury, Executive Engineer of the Dalia Division of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), said the river was flowing just 13 centimeters below the danger level at the Teesta Barrage Point on Saturday morning.

Water has already started entering low-lying riverbank areas and char lands, inundating many settlements and agricultural fields.

Residents and BWDB officials have expressed concerns over possible flash flood along the Teesta basin in five northern districts-Lalmonirhat, Kur...