Avoidable landslide deaths must stop

Although fatalities caused by natural disasters such as floods, cyclones and lightning are fairly common in Bangladesh, deaths from landslides have emerged as a recurring tragedy. The latest disaster in Cox's Bazar, where at least 10 people, including eight Rohingya refugees, lost their lives after heavy rain triggered a series of landslides, is a grim reminder that the country has failed to prevent these catastrophes.

Once again, the Cox's Bazar incident has shown that these deaths were not merely the consequence of nature's fury; they also reflected persistent failures in public awareness, risk management, land use planning and disaster preparedness.
The victims, many of them children, were buried in their sleep as unstable hillsides collapsed onto makeshift shelters in the Rohingya camps. Additionally, thousands of families remain under constant threat as heavy rainfall continues. The district administration has ordered evacuations and opened temporary shelters, but such emergency responses are often seen inadequate.
The problem extends well beyond the refugee camps. Chattogram has witnessed repeated landslide disasters over the past two decades. The devastating hill collapse in June 2007 alone claimed 128 lives, while hundreds more have died in subsequent years across Chattogram and the Hill Tracts.

Despite these painful experiences, illegal hill cutting, unplanned settlements and weak enforcement of environmental regulations continue almost unabated. Every year, authorities issue warnings before the monsoon, yet many vulnerable families remain on unstable slopes because they simply have nowhere else to go.

The Rohingya camps present an even more complex challenge. Several hundred thousand refugees live in shelters built on or beneath fragile hillsides, making them exceptionally vulnerable during prolonged rainfall. Although humanitarian agencies have undertaken slope stabilisation, drainage improvement and reforestation programmes over the years, the sheer density of the camps and the limited availability of safe land have made the risks difficult to deal with.

Authorities say they repeatedly warned residents to relocate to safer shelters before the heavy rains. Such warnings are essential, but they are not enough. Many people are understandably reluctant to leave their homes and belongings unless they are confident of receiving adequate accommodation, security and basic services at evacuation centres.

Disaster preparedness therefore requires much more than loudspeaker announcements. It demands sustained community engagement, reliable early warning systems, well-equipped shelters and continuous public awareness campaigns.

Long-term solutions are equally important. Illegal occupation of vulnerable hills must stop. Existing environmental laws should be enforced without political interference. At the same time, affordable housing should be developed for low-income families living on dangerous slopes.

Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in reducing cyclone-related deaths through effective early warning systems and community preparedness. The same determination must now be applied to landslide risk reduction. Every life lost beneath collapsing hills represents not only the devastating force of nature but also a preventable failure of governance and preparedness. 

So, unless lessons are translated into action, the next spell of heavy rain will bring yet another avoidable tragedy.