-More than 90 percent of water comes from India
-Canals & reservoirs connected to rivers is destroyed
-Our joint river commission has no effective role when India releases water and when it withholds
Md Zakir Hossain Khan, Chief Executive of Climate Finance
Millions of people suffer due to floods in Bangladesh every year. This year, various areas of the country have already been affected by floods.
Meanwhile, starting from the end of June, floods occurred in different places of Sylhet, Feni and Kurigram. In addition, at the beginning of this July, it spread in the northern and central parts of the country including Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Sirajganj, Tangai. There are millions of people of these flood affected areas. Meanwhile, meteorologists fear floods with heavy rains this monsoon.
They say that July is the rainiest month of the year. However, the amount of rainfall this year will be higher than other years and this season may cause short to medium term floods in different parts of the country. The weather office has predicted that the flood situation may intensify in the northern part of the country. However, the measures taken to control the flood are insufficient compared to the requirements.
According to sources from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, currently the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center has predicted 5 days in the short term and 10 days in the medium term rain. A significant number of dams and canals have been constructed to reduce the damage and adverse effects of floods and to use excess water for irrigation. However, those concerned think that these initiatives are not sufficient.
Meteorologists say that the rainfall that occurs in the country has little effect on the resulting floods. The rivers of our country originate in India and Myanmar. There are floods in our country due to heavy rainfall. Cherrapunji and Meghalaya in India receive heavy to very heavy rains in July, so this water pressure reaches us here as well.
According to the concerned, our country is still receiving normal rains. But the amount of rain will increase. The rainfall that occurs in the country has less impact on the resulting floods. The rivers of our country originate in India and Myanmar. There are floods in our country due to heavy rainfall. Cherrapunji and Meghalaya in India are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rains in July, so this water pressure will reach us here as well. An engineer at the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center said that since it is the monsoon season, short and medium-term floods occur at this time every year. Only 10 percent of our Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna river basins are in Bangladesh. More than 90 percent of water comes from India. Due to the effect of this water coming in the monsoon season, the flood situation is intensifying.
Analysts say that floods in Bangladesh every year have now become normal. As a result millions of people are affected by short to medium term floods in the country. Floods are prolonged due to hill slopes, transboundary river water, unplanned infrastructure, river encroachment and lack of sustainable dams. In the midst of the flood, severe river erosion has started as a blow of the cliff on the river. The flood forecast only tells whether the water of the rivers will rise or fall and flow over the floodplain or not. But we don't have information about which crop fields will float in which area, which villages will sink. But we know that there will be floods in the country every year.
Md Zakir Hossain Khan, Chief Executive of climate finance expert Change Initiative, said monsoon floods are now causing long-term damage. We are not getting proper information about when the flood will come, how much water will come, through which channel. Our joint river commission has no effective role in when India releases water and when it withholds. When the flood will come, how much water will come, through which channel - we are not getting this information properly. Our joint river commission has no effective role in when India releases water and when it withholds.
He said that new risks are coming due to the impact of climate change. Rainfall is increasing, but there is no proper flood management. We are still managing floods like in ancient times. The Department of Agriculture has to do their work after the flood. Similarly, Fisheries Department and LGED have to do their work. Relief alone will not manage floods. The causes of flooding should be identified and coordinated to stop them.
Water Keepers Bangladesh coordinator Sharif Jamil told the media that canals and reservoirs connected to our rivers have been destroyed. Various development projects have been taken up without considering environmental rights. In our law, however, the category of flood zone cannot be changed. But it can be seen that railway lines and roads are being constructed, but proper space for water flow is not kept under them. Similarly, due to unplanned construction of culverts and non-dredging of the river, water is not leaving the locality.
The hills coming down from the upstream are being flooded. The place where these waters go down is getting filled. An important cause of flooding in Sylhet is the Dhaka-Sylhet highway and Ashtagram road in Kishoreganj. These roads have become blocked due to water coming out. Apart from this, the water is flowing directly due to the killing of trees in the mountains. The rivers are not dredging. The government does not have proper management and preparation in these matters. As a result, people are affected by floods every year.
Director General of Disaster Management Department Rezwanur Rahman said, we make people aware of disasters. We have many projects on awareness. Ministry of Water Resources deals with flood and its control. In case of flood, we make all arrangements for the victims from relief through the district administration.
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