MEDIA reports on Sunday said that Meteorologists and flood experts fear that the country may face a second phase of serious flood in the second week of August when over 60 upazilas of several northern districts are already taking the brunt of devastation of homes, crops in the field and fish stocks from commercial fisheries. After the end of rainfall and floods of India, Nepal and China, waters will be running down to the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh. As a result, our major rivers will be over-flooded with more devastation over half of the country. Already the situation is precarious and experts’ prediction is that it may further worsen sending alarm signals at all levels.
We are appalled by the sufferings of the people when they need food, pure drinking water and high land to shelter themselves and their animals. More people have also become homeless from river erosion and they need long-term rehabilitation. The government claims that enough relief and rescue operations have been fielded in the flood devastated areas but newspaper reports said most people are not getting assistance or what they are getting is not enough to survive. Flooding of rural areas has made mobility very difficult. Vital roads have gone under water and their dilapidated condition is making difficult reaching the marooned people. Local administration is using boats at many places where party men are seen distributing relief on cameras. We believe it can’t be a publicity trail through water-devastated villages at this moment when people are helplessly waiting for food and water to make their living. We urge the district administrations to intensify the relief operation immediately to feed the displaced and reach more relief stock to government stores at places where flood forecast fear more floods by the middle of this month.
The monsoon rain is occurring in full swing now and the onrush of water from India is poising the big threat for major new flooding. When water from India, China and Nepal will make its way to Bay of Bengal the country may look like a vast sea of water. Moreover when flood water will recede, arrangement for new plantation and public health safety may become the big challenge. We must say that health care must be at the door-step of people to protect them from water-borne diseases.
Agricultural extension workers must be in the field to provide seeds and young plants for fresh farming. Banks must make available loans to farmers to overcome the post flood situation. Our farmers are hard working but they need timely support. There can’t be any shortcoming in this respect.
