The cyclone Amphan is upon Bangladesh, adding another layer of worry to the country in the midst of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.
What is more worrying is that, according to leading global storm tracker AccuWeather, it is the first super cyclone in the Bay of Bengal since 1999, with fears that this storm will have a devastating impact across Bangladeshi coastal regions.
As we have not witnessed a cyclone of this magnitude for decades, and given Bangladesh’s already precarious position in dealing with the coronavirus, it is absolutely essential that we treat this super cyclone with all the seriousness it warrants.
To that end, it is good to see Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself actively involved in monitoring the development of the cyclone.
This sends the right message to the rest of the authorities concerned, and indeed the entirety of the country, that this is an extremely serious situation, and everyone should be doing their best to brace for and mitigate the potential damage likely to be caused.
There is no way to truly be prepared for a cyclone, much less one of the magnitude Amphan is being touted to be. However, we must do our best, by closely monitoring the storm and evacuating people and transporting them to safety to the best of our abilities.
Already, hundreds of thousands of people from different coastal districts have been evacuated and taken into cyclone shelters -- this is the kind of response that will help us save lives and protect people from the cyclone.
Bangladesh has long been held as a leader in disaster management, and natural disasters, be they floods or cyclones, are something we unfortunately face every year. With careful monitoring and pro-active decision-making, we will be able to withstand the effects of Amphan as well.