Sirajganj town can be saved from floods
Friday, 26 October 2007
Abul Hossain
BECAUSE of its geographic location Bangladesh is vulnerable to natural disasters like recurrent floods, droughts and cyclones. Indeed, normal annual flooding is important to the people and economy of Bangladesh.
However, severe floods of high magnitude can have adverse impacts on the economy and cause heavy losses to life land property. With increase in population, rapid urbanisation, growth of infrastructure, other economic development, and poor maintenance of protective facilities flood risks have been increasing.
Catastrophic floods do have major adverse consequences for long term development of the country. Many debate if it is possible to develop a modern economy without properly managing the disaster risks posed by floods.
Bangladesh needs to invest in protection of major towns with high population density and property value. This year Sirjaganj town was flooded again. This could be prevented by properly constructing flood protection works. Like 2004 floods, this year also damage on the right bank of the Brahmaputra River was extensive though the area was supposedly protected by the Brahmaputra Right Bank Embankment (BRE).
BRE constructed decades ago, was extensively damaged due to repeated floods, lack of maintenance and westward shifting of the Brahmaputra River. With BRE, now broken at most places, the areas along the Brahmaputra River and towns like Sirajganj will sustain damage even during normal floods. The protection works constructed under River Bank Protection (BPP), performed well.
After construction of the Jumuna Bridge, Sirjaganj town has expanded, industry has moved there and property values have increased. The damage this year in Sirajganj was heavy and estimated around US$50 million.
In addition to municipal rural infrastructure, houses and crops, more than 30,000 looms have been destroyed leaving many people unemployed.
By re-constructing a multipurpose embankment the Sirjaganj town can possibly be better protected.
Investment to stabilise the river bank line from Sirajganj to Kazipur for protecting Sirajganj town from future floods would not exceed US$100 million and could be recovered in two years.
BECAUSE of its geographic location Bangladesh is vulnerable to natural disasters like recurrent floods, droughts and cyclones. Indeed, normal annual flooding is important to the people and economy of Bangladesh.
However, severe floods of high magnitude can have adverse impacts on the economy and cause heavy losses to life land property. With increase in population, rapid urbanisation, growth of infrastructure, other economic development, and poor maintenance of protective facilities flood risks have been increasing.
Catastrophic floods do have major adverse consequences for long term development of the country. Many debate if it is possible to develop a modern economy without properly managing the disaster risks posed by floods.
Bangladesh needs to invest in protection of major towns with high population density and property value. This year Sirjaganj town was flooded again. This could be prevented by properly constructing flood protection works. Like 2004 floods, this year also damage on the right bank of the Brahmaputra River was extensive though the area was supposedly protected by the Brahmaputra Right Bank Embankment (BRE).
BRE constructed decades ago, was extensively damaged due to repeated floods, lack of maintenance and westward shifting of the Brahmaputra River. With BRE, now broken at most places, the areas along the Brahmaputra River and towns like Sirajganj will sustain damage even during normal floods. The protection works constructed under River Bank Protection (BPP), performed well.
After construction of the Jumuna Bridge, Sirjaganj town has expanded, industry has moved there and property values have increased. The damage this year in Sirajganj was heavy and estimated around US$50 million.
In addition to municipal rural infrastructure, houses and crops, more than 30,000 looms have been destroyed leaving many people unemployed.
By re-constructing a multipurpose embankment the Sirjaganj town can possibly be better protected.
Investment to stabilise the river bank line from Sirajganj to Kazipur for protecting Sirajganj town from future floods would not exceed US$100 million and could be recovered in two years.