Due to climate change, the amount of rainfall will increase in the future in different parts of India upstream of Bangladesh, resulting in more unintended floods in the coming years.
Experts think that a strategic plan should be arranged keeping these issues in mind.
They say our rivers are not in a position to hold water from upstream. Apart from digging rivers, they have also emphasized separating human habitation and croplands by building dams.
In June last year, the total rainfall in the country was 22,271 mm, which is 16,1068 mm as of June 26 this year.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the normal rainfall during this period is 18,908 mm.
The met has forecast heavy rains in the next few days. As a result, the amount of rain may increase further.
Cherrapunji in India has received record rainfall this year, which is the highest in 122 years.
Apart from Sylhet and Sunamganj, untimely waterlogging is common in the Northern district of Kurigram.
Meteorologist Omar Faruk said the rain so far this year has been normal.
“It is still less than last year. However, the amount of rain will increase in the next few days. It may be almost the same or more than last year,” he added.
This year, there was a terrible flood in Sylhet. Although there is no rain in the country, the main reason for the misery of the people of Sylhet is the slope of the upper reaches.
Basically, if there is more rain upstream, it is normal to pour that water downstream.
Experts say an analysis is needed as to why the floods caused people's homes to sink. This will make it easier to plan how to prevent future floods.
Climate expert Ainun Nishat said the upstream rains will increase further in the future due to climate change.
“The floods that are happening now are not due to the rains inside the country. Heavy rainfall in upstream, especially in Cherrapunji, caused the floods this time. As a result, if the rains increase in upstream in the future, even if there is little rain in the country, there may be floods,” he observed.
He added that arrangements have to be made to protect the city with dams on the river flowing by.
Nishat said: “It is normal for the river to overflow in the rainy season. But if it enters the city, it is not the responsibility of nature, but man to stop it.
“People have to plan for floods considering the rain forecast in advance. Cherrapunji had received 2,000 mm of rain in three days this month, compared to the previous month, which has never happened before.”
With the onset of the monsoon, the South-West monsoon winds have now spread across the country.
Due to this, it is raining in most parts of the country including Dhaka.
Meanwhile, the monsoon entered the country long before the arrival of Ashar.
Meanwhile, the monsoon winds took off after five months of rain last year. In June, 2021, the monsoon winds from Teknaf spread over the country to India. It left Bangladesh completely on October 22.
Environmentalists think that there will be such weather again.
Sharif Jamil, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, said the pattern of rainfall has changed in Bangladesh as well as in the upper reaches due to climate change.
“The time when monsoon winds used to come to Bangladesh has come forward in the last few years. On the other hand, it is now too late to leave. The country is not going to see six seasons now. This is not just about floods, it will have an adverse effect on the entire ecosystem,” he continued.
He further said that it even has an effect on the food chain. "Looking at the type of rainfall over the last 100 years, it is clear how much has changed. This change is causing great fear in our lives.”