Experts on Sunday called for immediate, medium, and long-term rehabilitation measures for those affected in Feni and ten other districts by the recent floods.
During a roundtable discussion titled "Recent Floods: Causes and Recommendations," organised by the Feni Sangbadik Forum, Dhaka (FSFD), they highlighted various strategies to address the aftermath of the disaster.
They warned that without effective measures, Bangladesh could face severe flooding again.
Former Dhaka University (DU) Vice Chancellor Prof Anwarullah Chowdhury spoke as the chief guest at the discussion with FSFD President Faiz Ullah Bhuiyan in the chair.
Dean of the Science Faculty at Stamford University and also Chairman of the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) Prof Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder and Chairman of the River and Delta Research Centre Mohammad Ejaz jointly presented the keynote papers.
Expressing concerns, Prof Anwar said, "In my 80 years of life, I have never seen so much water.
Without diverse government and private sector interventions, much of Feni and other regions may again be submerged."
He criticised India for releasing river water without informing Bangladesh beforehand, adding that that the Joint River Commission between the countries often lacks meaningful outcomes.
Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) Chairman Prof Abu Ahmed, Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) fellow Dr Mostafizur Rahman, Journalists' Welfare Trust Managing Director M Abdullah, Islamic University Prof Nazim Uddin, Jatiya Press Club Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan, Senior Journalist Motaher Hossen Masum, Feni Samiti Vice President Mesbah Uddin Said, Rome Corporation Chairman Didarul Alam Majumder, Human Rights Activist Humayun Kabir Patwary addressed the discussion, among others.
Prof Abu Ahmed said, "The neighboring country has been treating Bangladesh unfairly for many years."
He, however, expressed confidence that the patriotic people will reclaim their rightful share after fall of fascist Sheikh Hasina.
Prof Ahmed called on the interim government to take all necessary measures to help the flood-affected people recover from their losses.
"Under the new government, all donor agencies and countries are extending a helping hand to Bangladesh, so there will be no financial crisis," He said.
Dr Mostafiz stressed the need for long-term assistance for those affected by the floods, particularly noting severe losses in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock.
He stressed that failing to support affected farmers could worsen the crisis and called for easier loan conditions in these sectors.
The keynote address indicated that this flood was not solely due to rainfall or upstream water flow but was exacerbated by India's actions, which could be considered water aggression.
According to the keynote paper, the estimated total damages from the floods amount to around Tk 14,000 crore, with Feni suffering losses of Tk 2,686 crore alone.
Specific damages included Tk 1,200 crore in agriculture, Tk 38 crore in education, and significant losses in infrastructure and housing.
The experts proposed 15 recommendations, including holding the responsible country accountable in international courts, repairing the border dam cut by the BSF in Parshuram, halting illegal water extraction from the Feni River, ensuring adherence to international water flow laws, and establishing robust communication for flood forecasts.
FSFD General Secretary Aditya Arafat moderated the discussion.
