RIVER erosion in many parts of the country is making countless people homeless across the country as floodwater started receding. Media reports said monsoon rains caused havoc to flood affected districts like Sirajganj, Chapainawabganj, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat and river bank erosion now follows to add further miseries to the people who are living in temporary shelter at most places. The devours of their homes from river bank erosion means they can’t go home any more while absence of relief and no government initiative to rehabilitate them is only causing uncertainty to those people living in schools and other public buildings.
Though the situation in Sylhet and other flood-affected areas in the northeast is slightly improving, people are trying to cope with the situation without assistance from the government. The fact is that our government has big budget and institutional arrangement to face floods and other natural calamities but when it comes to stand by the people, the government presence is only limited except in big talks and promises for relief and rehabilitation. People have learned over the years how to live through such challenging situation but once the disaster is overall praises go to the government as a big success story.
Gushing water in Sirajganj, has washed away brick-built embankment flooding villages when Water Development Board officials look on. In fact they have nothing to do now but they can’t avoid responsiblity for building weak embankments with poor quality materials not enough to withstand flood pressure. Meanwhile river erosion is adding to people’s miseries at all levels. A similar situation is reported at Chapainawabganj where embankment has also collapsed from floodwater. Vast localities on both banks of Padma, Brahmaputra, Teesta and Dharla are under water rendering people homeless as most of them yet to see any significant government help. We would suggest that, apart from immediate relief and rehabilitation, government must also mobilize interest free agricultural loans to farmers and other inputs to grow Aman crops as the peak season is running out.
We know that the government has comprehensive flood and erosion protection schemes like the one for Tk 104 crore to protect land and people on both banks of Padma River. But when floods hit the country it appears that big budget was of no help to save people except to make people holding powerful political position and Water Development Board officials rich. We have no scarcity of fund but high corruption and misuse of money is causing backlash to develop the flood protection dam and put effective system against river erosion. It is the failure of the government running a highly corrupt system.
For now the biggest concern is to save homeless people from flood and riverbank erosion. We demand immediate relief and rehabilitation materials must reach the affected people to reduce their sufferings and uncertainty of their life.
Though the situation in Sylhet and other flood-affected areas in the northeast is slightly improving, people are trying to cope with the situation without assistance from the government. The fact is that our government has big budget and institutional arrangement to face floods and other natural calamities but when it comes to stand by the people, the government presence is only limited except in big talks and promises for relief and rehabilitation. People have learned over the years how to live through such challenging situation but once the disaster is overall praises go to the government as a big success story.
Gushing water in Sirajganj, has washed away brick-built embankment flooding villages when Water Development Board officials look on. In fact they have nothing to do now but they can’t avoid responsiblity for building weak embankments with poor quality materials not enough to withstand flood pressure. Meanwhile river erosion is adding to people’s miseries at all levels. A similar situation is reported at Chapainawabganj where embankment has also collapsed from floodwater. Vast localities on both banks of Padma, Brahmaputra, Teesta and Dharla are under water rendering people homeless as most of them yet to see any significant government help. We would suggest that, apart from immediate relief and rehabilitation, government must also mobilize interest free agricultural loans to farmers and other inputs to grow Aman crops as the peak season is running out.
We know that the government has comprehensive flood and erosion protection schemes like the one for Tk 104 crore to protect land and people on both banks of Padma River. But when floods hit the country it appears that big budget was of no help to save people except to make people holding powerful political position and Water Development Board officials rich. We have no scarcity of fund but high corruption and misuse of money is causing backlash to develop the flood protection dam and put effective system against river erosion. It is the failure of the government running a highly corrupt system.
For now the biggest concern is to save homeless people from flood and riverbank erosion. We demand immediate relief and rehabilitation materials must reach the affected people to reduce their sufferings and uncertainty of their life.
