Landslides cause havoc
We are deeply saddened by the aftermath of the catastrophic landslides in Rangamati, Chittagong, Bandarban and Cox's Bazar that have left at least 141 people—including four army personnel on rescue duty—dead following the daylong continuous downpour on Monday. The death toll this time has already surpassed that of the 2007 landslides in Chittagong when at least 128 people were killed.
It is a well-established fact that the hilly regions of Bangladesh are extremely vulnerable to landslides and we have witnessed time and again the disastrous consequences from previous experiences.
Uncontrolled deforestation, hill-cutting for construction, establishment of settlements in foothills, etc., continue to make these areas much more prone to rain-triggered landslides. The demographic pressure over the last few decades due to indiscriminate settlements has taken a toll on the delicate ecological balance of the region making it more vulnerable to such calamities. What's particularly appalling is that there seems to be no end in sight to such activities—most of them illegal—that the administration seems to have turned a blind eye to.
Every time, we seem to spring into action only after a natural disaster takes its toll. This is the result of a sheer lack of farsightedness and total disregard for human lives and security on the part of local authorities. It also brings into question the issue of city governance which is mainly to blame for failing to curb the environmental degradation of the hilly districts.
The number one priority for the government should be to see to it that affected families are resettled and that adequate relief and medical supplies and manpower are in place to deal with this largely manmade chaos.
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