Bangladesh is no stranger to floods; each and every year, during the monsoon season, we see a significant number of districts inundated, enduring the subsequent hardship and adversity. However, it is a shame that, despite this being a yearly and seasonal occurrence, we appear to be getting no better at dealing with the adversities.
The fact that the current flood situation in certain districts such as Sylhet, Sunamganj, and Rangpur is so grave that the SSC exams that were scheduled to be held from the 19th of this month had to be called off, not to mention the need for the army to be deployed in this region to ensure rescue operations, tells us that we remain woefully unprepared.
By this time, heavy rainfall should be the expectation and should not be taking us by surprise as it seems to year on y. The question here is this: When will we stop being reactionary to floods, and take pro-active measures to ensure that it doesn’t affect us as adversely as it does? Ultimately, it is the people of these regions who continue to suffer, be it the washing away of their homes or belongings, facing food security, or in the worst situations, losing their lives.
Already, reports suggest that the rainfall is only going to get worse. It is time for the authorities to step up and protect its citizens in these flood-prone areas. 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. It is high time we started planning ahead for heavy rainfall and the subsequent floods, instead of once again being crippled by them.
