Floods
The world has now developed technology to warn in advance the advent of the flood & also the countries where it will strike using the satellite system. Bangladesh, being a low-lying country, all sorts of natural calamities including floods strike frequently. From our long experience we can see a permanent signal, warning us that flood will come to Bangladesh on a routine visit. We watch floods coming in, staying for a few weeks or a month causing what floods usually do, that is damaging everything that comes their way, and then go back leaving a warning to visit again. So it is no surprise for the people of Bangladesh and low-lying countries.
There is no doubt that the government and several other social, national & international groups/ agencies are contributing in many ways to mitigating the sufferings of the flood stricken people.
From my experience I would like to give some suggestions, which I believe, will come in handy to mitigate the sufferings of the flood affected people and reduce losses substantially:
1. The government should procure a good number of dredgers. Dredging of rivers should be done throughout the dry season.
2. All rich people of the villages should make their houses high above the flood level. If this can be made by bricks or alternatively if it is a tin-made house, it should have brick floor or at least the boundary of the floor should be made with bricks.
3. They should also place their cowsheds much above the flood level.
4. They should sink tube-wells.
5. Almost every school, madrasa and college should have small or big playgrounds. This ground should also be raised high above the flood level, so that affected people with their cattle can take shelter there.
6. I have seen beautifully constructed cyclone shelters in the coastal areas. Similar shelters should also be made in some places for seriously flood-affected people.
Meanwhile, the government should continue all long & short-term projects to contain the recurring floods in Bangladesh.
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