It is a matter of grave concern that the flooding situation in Sylhet appears to be getting worse. The authorities have ordered as many as 650 educational institutions in Sylhet to be shut down. Children have already been deprived of physical classes due to Covid-19 for long enough and this setback is making things worse.
The heavy rainfall that is a staple of the district and the downhill onrush of water continue to be the main culprits. However, these are issues that are common to the city, and have been so for a very long time. To that end, it is disappointing that we still find ourselves helpless in such situations.
Steps should have been taken earlier so that we wouldn’t have arrived at today’s situation. We have a better understanding of floods and we possess the technology and materials to build infrastructure that can, if not prevent, then at least significantly reduce its adverse impact.
But still, we continue to fail in this regard, year after year. The situation in Sylhet is unfortunately once again a testament to our failure. It should work as a reminder for the authorities to be on the lookout and take preventive measures against floods not just in Sylhet, but across the country.
Bangladesh as a country has developed way too much for us to be crippled by incidents such as floods. Authorities need to communicate with the weather department on a regular basis and they need to implement preventive measures, such as the inauguration of better drainage systems, as soon as possible.
While the flood in Sylhet is severe, thankfully, we have not heard about any fatalities this time. While this is a positive and we can take solace that at least no lives were lost, we might not always be so lucky.