One of the less discussed, yet no-less frequent or devastating, occurrences in our country’s rural areas is river erosion -- the effects of which can upend the lives of entire families when it strikes.
To that end, a recent Dhaka Tribune story on how Islampur -- a sizeable community nestled along the banks of the rivers Jamuna and Brahmaputra -- is constantly fighting a battle with the frequent river erosions sheds light on just how important it is to address this issue at a national level.
While there are plenty of projects which have tried to mitigate river erosion and its effects, notably the "Protection of the Right Bank of the Padma River" project in Jazira and Naria -- where erosion-induced displacement has uprooted thousands of families -- this is one issue that all but begets sustainable solutions, as simply pouring increasing amounts of money to prop up traditional defenses, such as riverbank protection, have begun yielding little to no benefits.
The answer lies in adaptive strategies which are tailored to specific rivers and their conditions and consistent monitoring and adaptation.
River erosion has an innate human and economic toll that we can no longer neglect as a nation. Bangladesh is a riverine country and, as such, sees far too many settlements take root along rivers and tributaries. Alongside sustainable solutions to ward off river erosion, early warning systems to complement existing monitoring methods will be of utmost importance.
Last year the World Bank approved a $102 million financing plan for Bangladesh to improve the state of riverbank protection when it comes to areas surrounding the River Jamuna. It is imperative that this money be spent wisely and with sustainable solutions as a goal.