Floods 2021: Tension reclines in sustainable solutions

Due to the impact of redundant floods in Bangladesh, we got warned by a recent report of this year which was presented by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet at the 48th session of the Human Rights Council on 24th September. About 17% of our land will be submerged by 2050 and 20 million people in the country will be relocated. She mentioned that in 2019, China, Bangladesh, India, and the Philippines accounted for more disasters than any other country, accounting for 80% of the world's total. Considering the consequences, what is the preparation of the Bangladesh government?

If we look back on the newspaper headlines of last August and September: fear of floods in eight districts of the country; people of nine villages in Faridpur are waterlogged; the water of four rivers is above the danger level, and floodwater in 463 educational institutions in Tangail; with the opening of twenty-one primary schools in Rajbari; the people of flood-hit Feni; the dire flood situation in Jamalpur; extreme deterioration of flood situation in Faridpur; 65,000 people in three Upazilas of Bogra are at risk; the residents near the Padma river are spending sleepless nights in fear of breaking, and many more.

This year, on September 6, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed all concerned to be ready for the floods because of the abnormal rise in water levels in the rivers, especially in the Jamuna and Padma basins. It was what Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam informed the media. The Minister of State for Disaster Management briefed on their various programs regarding dealing with such situations. All these are distinct initiatives that are usually taken whenever it's necessary, but is there any sustainable solution?
There are annual floods in Bangladesh, but it is severe from June to September. This causes huge disaster, especially the poor people in the riparian areas of different rivers are mostly affected. Poverty-stricken people always face various problems and hardships to overcome the damage. This year, the water of the river Teesta, Brahmaputra, and Dharla in Kurigram-Lalmonirhat and the river Jamuna in Sirajganj flew over the danger line. In addition, the water levels of some other rivers also rose. People of lower areas in Kurigram, Tangail, Sirajganj, Pabna, Manikganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Shariatpur, and Chandpur, got dangerously affected by the flood this time.

Bangladesh government is working with different plans. For example, social security program, work-for-work food program, Test Relief (TR), Employment Generation Program for the Poorest (EGPP), humanitarian assistance program, relief assistance, Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF), risk mitigation programs/projects, flood shelters, District Relief Warehouse, Hurricane Shelter, Mujib Killa, Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) project, etc.

Materials are needed for the situation include tent-making equipment including bamboo and wood, life jackets, water purifiers, emergency medical supplies, liquid and dry food, drinking water, clothing, temporary toilets, drainage system, kerosene oil, lamp, light, installation of tube wells, pipes, and transport, etc. This is outstanding support for the sufferer indeed, but these are not for sustainable solutions. Moreover, we do not know how much of them are provided to the people in those areas.

Everyone knows that people from those areas protest for their demands every time they suffer. Even local people in some areas made the flood control dams themselves, and they stopped allowing local leaders to visit there. That means there is something wrong there. Many dams have been broken before, but they have not been repaired for a long time.

Quick finishing work, poor management, faulty work, various questions including a negative impact on the environment are also regular concerns. As a result, water has risen in many areas. When there is no flood, people forget to talk about that until the next year comes. Therefore, it is the government's responsibility to take necessary initiatives for flood-affected areas with sustainable solutions so that they do not need to shout when they are in danger.

One of the government's initiatives can be highly appreciated as they publish daily disaster situation reports on their website. But, at the same time, the government needs to think about future sustainable development while preventing natural disasters.

There is no doubt that Bangladesh has already made significant progress and capabilities in dealing with the flood situation. But several crises still remain. Floods usually damage roads, plants, movable and immovable property, agricultural land, crops, communication systems, and homes. As a result, projects needed in Bangladesh are mainly the construction of sustainable roads, bridges, and shelters. For this purpose, government has to set a target for rehabilitation, adopt adequate project plans, set up a monitoring cell for project implementation and coordinate everything to ensure the progress of the overall work.

Flood is due to the water coming down from the upper reaches of India and China. The wind flow usually occurs in the eastern Himalayas and causes heavy rainfall there--that water comes down naturally. In the diplomatic discussion, Bangladesh has never been prosperous in solving this water issue with international borders. Rather, India's Teesta Barrage has been another great provocation to bring a sustainable solution for Bangladesh. For example, a report of 2007 says that about nine million people became homeless and landless in that year; moreover, at least 1,000 people drowned in the floodwaters and died of diseases caused by the floods.

Bangladesh is naturally prone to floods due to water flow patterns, climatic factors, and geographical location. Due to the increase in temperature, the sea level is rising day by day. As a result, besides losing their homes, people in the coastal area are also being harmed regarding fish production as different species of native fish are becoming extinct. Floods also cause damage to crops. On the whole, saltwater is reducing the amount of land suitable for cultivation. Every time Bangladesh suffers without any guilt. Therefore, besides supporting the flood-affected people, the government also needs to work diplomatically with the international community to prevent this disaster; it is important because a significant number of people in Bangladesh somehow depend on water.

Anyhow the government should start working for the solutions that will last for long terms. As the government is approaching with a slogan for digital Bangladesh, it is high time to think in advance about addressing water problems, necessarily with modern technologies, if possible. It is also vital to ensure accountability in the work assigned. I believe, today's approach to resolutions will build a safe land with healthy water management in Bangladesh.
Hasan Al-Mahmud is a freelance columnist who writes on contemporary issues