CHAR FASSON, May 4: With the onset of the storm season, residents of the coastal char areas in Char Fasson are gripped by fear, as inadequate cyclone shelters leave them highly vulnerable to disasters. Many existing shelters are either abandoned or in poor condition, forcing people to live under constant threat.
Nearly 80 percent of char dwellers-isolated from the mainland-remain unprotected during storms, with limited access to safe shelters. However, Char Fasson Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rumana Afroze said there are plans to construct new shelters, designed with special facilities for women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, along with provisions for livestock.
Due to ongoing river erosion, population density in the isolated chars is steadily increasing. Around 200,000 people live across more than 50 chars between the Meghna and Tetulia rivers. Of the 20 inhabited chars in the upazila, most lack adequate cyclone shelters or earthen mounds for refuge.
Locals say the shortage of shelters, coupled with poor sanitation in existing ones, is worsening their anxiety. "Shelters are insufficient for the population, and many are in a dilapidated state," said Azahar Master from Dhalchar Union.
Ibrahim, a village doctor from Char Kukri, noted that shelters built after Cyclone Sidr can hold only 600 to 700 people, yet during warnings, as many as 2,500 to 3,000 people crowd into them. Poor road conditions further hinder access to shelters in many areas.
According to KM Mahtabul Bari Sipu, Assistant Director of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP), the upazila has only 165 school-cum-cyclone shelters, many of which are unusable. Of the 23 earthen mounds, only three are fit for emergency use. A total of 496 volunteers are engaged in preparedness efforts, including awareness campaigns.
Over the years, at least 100 people have died in around 20 cyclones, including Sidr, Aila, Amphan, and Mocha, leaving widespread devastation. Despite repeated disasters, coastal residents remain unsafe and are demanding the urgent construction of adequate cyclone shelters.
