People of 3 Moulvibazar villages live in landslide fear

For three villages, Sahebtila, Shafinagar and Rajnagar, in Moulvibazar's Rajnagar upazila, there's a simple equation: rain equals risk. On any rainy day villagers wait nervously inside their hillside homes, aware that at any moment a landslide may be unleashed.

According to environmentalists, rain can loosen soil compaction, and if rain intensity is high the resulting mud can become too heavy for the hills to bear, resulting in a landslide. It's not good news for the low-income earners whose houses congregate on the lower slopes and at the foot of the hills.

“We're really afraid,” says Jasim Uddin, 35, who lives on a hill slope in Sahebtila. “But we don't have anywhere else to go.”

Sumona Begum of Shafinagor says despite their concerns no government official has been there to observe the situation.

It's a potential tragedy that is not entirely made by nature. According to Abdul Karim Kim, general secretary in Sylhet Division of the NGO Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, indiscriminate hill-cutting and unplanned house construction by influential groups, who then rent houses to low-income people, have helped to set the stage.

“It's easy to cut a hill,” says Karim, “but difficult to rebuild one.” It's a statement that rings true for Rajnagor resident Joynal Uddin Ahmed. His neighbour cut a hill to increase the size of his landholdings and shortly thereafter the remaining hill started to slide, bringing with it risk to Ahmed's home.

“There has long been an awareness of the risks associated with hill destruction,” says Karim, “but hill-cutting has gone on unabated, increasing landslide risk. The local administration has not taken any step to stop it.” He believes the proper implementation of laws can save the hills and mitigate landslide risk.

In the meantime hundreds of families are passing the monsoon months in fear, with requests for the local administration to relocate them to safer terrain.

“I am also fearful of a landslide occurring in these areas at any moment this season,” says Rajnagar upazila chairman Ashkir Khan. “I have already raised the matter with our higher authorities.”