According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, around 4.5 million people have been affected by the recent floods throughout 11 districts in Bangladesh, while the death toll is already in the double digits.
This is a particularly distressing time for our nation, with the fall of the previous government occurring merely three weeks ago, average citizens, the interim government, and our law enforcement have had to deal with a lot. Certainly, the abject destruction that the floods have caused is the absolute last thing we needed.
As a country, Bangladesh has established its own humanitarianism many times in the past: From sending relief to countries such as Syria and Turkey after both countries were devastated by earthquakes, to our nation’s continued support for the Palestinian struggle. Last, but not least, we can never forget that when the world all but turned its backs on the Rohingya, it was Bangladesh which first opened its borders to welcome over one million of the persecuted refugees facing ethnic cleansing at the hands of their own government.
Right now, it is Bangladesh that needs help.
As a climate vulnerable country, Bangladesh is no stranger to natural calamities destroying everything and completely upending life in the process. But the fact that we are so vulnerable to the effects of climate change is because of the early, vigorous industrialization of developed countries -- while we have yet to see the fruits of loss and damage funds and other official mechanisms meant to mitigate the effects of climate change, industrialized nations must bear some of the responsibility of these disasters.
With non-government organizations, the army, and even regular citizens coming in to support those who have been impacted by the floods, it is high time for the international community to do its own part in lending Bangladesh a hand in these most challenging of times.
