Staff Reporter :
Economists on Thursday suggested the government to complete the construction works of the embankments in the haor on time to avert disaster.
“If the embankments are constructed within the time frame, such disaster can be avoided,” said Professor Hamidul Huq, teacher of Economics Department of United International University at a workshop on Thursday. He said that the engineers’ should not be blamed for embankment breach. “The embankments, constructed there are not strong enough to take the load of heavy fall of unusual water,” he said, adding the civil administration cannot avoid the responsibility. The workshop on Environmental and Climate Change Policy Gap Analysis in Haor Areas was organised at the NEC conference room. Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Prof Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud and UNDP’s Country Director Sudipto Mukherjee attended the workshop.
AKS Murshid, Director General of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, Dr Tawfique Ahmed Chowdhury and Professor Hamidul Huq, teacher of Economics Department of United International University also spoke on the occasion.
Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud said leasing system will have to be stopped at first to protect the haors from flood- waters, economists on Thursday said.
“As the haors are leased out to businessmen, the common people are not allowed to catch fishes there. So the government must stop the leasing system to ensure common people’s fishing opportunity,” he said. He said as 40 per cent of the haor remains waterlogged during the dry season, the area becomes very congenial for fishing.
“A comprehensive plan with involvement of all ministries concerned is needed for the development of the haor area,” said noted economist. Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said embankment like Himalayas can’t protect the haor region from the threats of flash flood due to climate change,
“We will have to think how to manage the haor right now. A master plan with the help of the locally and internationally experienced people will be formulated to protect the haor area from floods and improve the standard of life,” he said. He said climate change is mainly responsible for the recent flood in haor area.
“Impacts of climate change are mainly responsible for snowfall in London in April and rains in some parts of India, Iran and other regions,” he added.
