10 years on, Sidr victims still

Ten years after Cyclone Sidr, administrative sluggishness has resulted in the completion of only less than one quarter of construction work of a robust embankment near the Baleshwar River at Sharankhola upazila.

The Chinese construction firm, assigned with the project, has blamed it on the slow land acquisition process by local administration, which was echoed by the district commissioner. The DC also complained that the Chinese contractors had commenced work even before the land acquisition process was finished.

Locals affected by the cyclone complained that apart from not receiving compensation of any sort, their land has already been acquired by the government and sand-filled without their approval a year back.

November 15 marks the 10th anniversary of Cyclone Sidr. It ravaged the embankment in Sharankhola with waves up to 15-16 feet high and took lives of 696 people (according to official figures).

The Sidr survivors demanded construction of a sustainable embankment, but their demand still remains unfulfilled.

During a visit near the Baleshwar River, several stacks cement bags and a concrete block were found in several areas in Rajeshwar and Sonatala.

Half a kilometre away, in Gabtola, locals were seen moving away with all their belongings.

Others in makeshift huts near the river banks complained that although they received relief materials, they were not provided materials to build houses. Liu Tailiang, manager of the Chinese contractor firm, said that they began their work in January of 2016, with a plan to construct a 62-km-long embankment, but their work has been on hold as the land owners in the project area did not move out as of date.

If everything went according to the plan, the embankment, to be built to last at least 50 years, could be completed by January next year.

Tapan Kumar Biswas, the district commissioner, told UNB that the Chinese contractors started their work before the land acquisition process was completed.