It’s time to rebuild
Planning minister tells roundtable on floods
Planning Minister MA Mannan yesterday said the government will immediately enhance its infrastructure rebuild programmes in the country's flood-affected areas, including the Sylhet region.
"In my ministry, some scrutinies take place while placing proposals before Ecnec [Executive Committee of National Economic Council]. We will do these works swiftly," said the minister.
He was addressing a roundtable on "Reasons behind frequent flood in Sylhet region, rehabilitation and permanent solution" in the capital's Jatiya Press Club organised by Sylhet Division Journalists Association, Dhaka.
There has been a tremendous economic loss. Not a single road remained out of the flood's clutches.`
Addressing the event as chief guest, the planning minister, also an AL lawmaker from Sunamganj-3, said the recent flood was the worst ever in his constituency in decades.
"Although the casualty is comparatively low, there has been a tremendous economic loss. Not a single road remained out of the flood's clutches," he added.
The minister, however, said due to the country's overall economic progress, people could extend their support to the flood victims by providing relief materials.
A lawmaker from Sylhet-4 constituency, Expatriates' Welfare Minister Imran Ahmad said there was a lack of government preparation to tackle the flood situation as nobody could realise its magnitude beforehand.
He stressed for adequate disaster preparedness to tackle flood situations in the future and said an immediate focus is required on rehabilitation.
He also emphasised the importance of creating funds under a coordinated platform to utilise it for rehabilitation of the victims, alongside ongoing relief support and stressed enhancing the capacity of Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development Board.
There was a lack of government preparation to tackle the flood situation as nobody could realise its magnitude beforehand.
Environment Minister and Maulvibazar-1 lawmaker Shahab Uddin said loss and damage from the recent flood will be placed as a case study during the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference-2022 (Cop-27) in Egypt.
He said dredging is required in different canals and rivers of the haor areas. Besides, different water bodies have to be freed from grabbers.
The government has taken various initiatives to lessen the suffering of flood victims, said Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim.
At present, different projects under the ministry worth about Tk 2,000 crore are ongoing in the Sylhet region, he said.
Prof M Feroze Ahmed, a member of the experts' panel for the Padma Bridge project, said water management is a key issue in tackling the flood situation.
Before constructing roads in the floodplain, a proper study has to be conducted to ensure uninterrupted flow of water, he said.
There has to be preparedness since extreme events such as heavy rainfall may increase in future due to global climate change, said Prof Kazi Matin Uddin Ahmed of the geological sciences department at Dhaka University.
To ensure a permanent solution to the flood problems of haor areas, the issue needs to be addressed regionally and internationally alongside internal initiatives, said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association.
Sharif Jamil, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, and Mustafiz Shafi, editor of Protidiner Bangladesh, spoke at the event, among others.