Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) has pointed out that lack of proper management regarding rivers, wet lands or haors and other water reservoirs contributed to frequent severe flooding in the greater Sylhet region.
Citing three reasons for the floods, the civic platform on environment said that applying flood management techniques and taking proper initiatives only can prevent terrible floods, which are feared again in coming days, in the northeastern part of the country and other parts.
The three reasons, cited by the BAPA, are- continuous and intense rain in Cherapunji of India following the impact of global climate change, lack of international initiatives over trans-boundary rivers and lack of proper water management in the country.
BAPA presented its observation and discussed the three reasons behind severe flooding in Sylhet region at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity in the capital on Tuesday (June 21).
Dr Md Khalequzzaman, Professor at the Department of Geology and Physics of Lock Haven University (USA) and global coordinator of Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN), joined the press conference virtually and presented the keynote address.
Dr Nazrul Islam, vice-president of BAPA and founder of BEN; presided over the press conference, while Sharif, general secretary of BAPA moderated the event. It was attended, among others, by Dr Abdul Matin, executive vice-president of BAPA; Sharmin Murshid, BAPA’s joint secretary and former member at the National River Conservation Commission; Prof Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, BAPA’s joint secretary and chairman of environmental science department at Stamford University Bangladesh; and Abdul Hye Al-Hadi, representative of BAPA’s Sylhet unit.
In his keynote address, Dr. Khalequzzaman said that the rain that has fallen in Sylhet and Cherapunji in the last few days is not supposed to happen. This is due to climate change. It is a global cause. This rain will increase further.
As a second reason, he said that there are many rivers under India. There are 16 trans-boundary rivers in the Meghna basin. But there is no agreement for joint management of water and silt for either of them. India is using water of the rivers and constructing dams over the rivers without any consultation with Bangladesh. The situation could have been handled by joint management.
He mentioned the use of diversion system in water resources management, construction of physical infrastructure, irregularities in river management and occupation of rivers, and frequent sand extraction as the third cause of frequent flooding.
It was mentioned at the press conference that rivers and haors have been filled. These have to be excavated. What is happening in the haor and riverine areas in the name of development is disturbing the natural balance. The solution to this problem must be based on scientific method.
Dr Nazrul Islam said that there are no proper attitude and strategy towards rivers. Water flow should be controlled in an open manner, not by dams. “We should take lessons from the severe flooding in Sylhet region. The country has been taken towards wrong direction. Floodplains need to be kept clean. The effects of climate change have begun. This effect will increase further in the future. The rivers of Dhaka have been turned into canals. Dhaka could be in a similar situation as Sylhet,” he said.
BAPA’s leaders at the press conference said that it is true that flooding is happening due to climate change. But there is no chance of avoiding liability by saying this.
It was at the press conference that the rivers and haors of Sylhet region lost navigability and water-carrying capacity also for three Bhairab bridges built over the Meghna river between Bhairab Bazar in Kishoreganj and Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria. The water at the up reaches should be diverted in a proper way to solve the problems.
Alongside the other reasons, the Austagram-Mithamaoin-Itna road in the middle haor of Kishoreganj also contributed to flooding in Sylhet region.
