CHATTOGRAM, Apr 29: Twenty-seven years have passed since the devastating cyclone battered Bangladesh's coasts but a large number of people in the southern-eastern, southern and south-western districts are still open to the risks of an attack by cyclones as many coastal protection embankment construction projects undertaken by the government have not yet been completed.
The projects, which can save hundreds of thousands of people from tidal bore, storm and cyclonic attack, are running at a slow pace.
The havoc of the April 29, 1991, cyclone and tidal surge is still vivid in the memory of the people of the area of Chattogram district.
As many as 0.16 million human lives were lost apart from the loss of many thousand cattle heads and standing crops, and wealth loss worth Tk 50 billion.
Countries including Saudi Arabia and different donor agencies camp up with project funding to construct cyclone shelters in the coastal belt in Chattogram and other coastal districts after the 1991 cyclone.
The Bangladesh government has undertaken construction of many protection embankments at the coastal upazilas of this region through the Water Development Board.
Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) is constructing an outer ring road along the Patenga-Sitakunda sea coast.
The people are happy that the government has been constructing embankments with CC blocks which is durable than the previous sandy soil. However, the coastal people are worried at slow pace of embankment works.
Officials at the Water Development Board (WDB) said 265 kilometers of embankment was constructed at Banskhali, Anwara, Sitakunda, Sandwip and Mirsarai upazila coastal belt and maintenance work on some parts of the existing ones was carried out with the financial support of the World Bank.
These works are being done with CC blocks now, the WDB officials said.
But the coastal people said they still remained exposed to the threats of natural disasters like cyclone, tidal surge and storm. Two projects are being implemented at Anwara at the cost of Tk 2.8 billion and Boalkhali at Tk 2.52 billion while another project has been undertaken at Boalkhali-Raozan section at a cost of Tk 3.58 billion.
Chattogram District Relief and Rehabilitation office said there are currently 479 cyclone shelters in the port city and different upazilas of the south-eastern district where some 0.45 million people will be able to take shelter during natural disaster.
He said there are 62 shelters at Sandwip, 117 at Banskhali upazila, 58 at Anwara, 59 at Sitakunda, 13 at Patiya, 75 at Mirsarai, eight at Boalkhali, three at Satkania, three at Rangunia, two at Fatikchhari and two at Raozan.
In the port city, Patenga, Halishahar and Kattali areas there are 72 cyclone shelters with the capacity to accommodate 52,700. Besides, many schools and colleges are ready to be used as cyclone centres during the disaster in coastal areas.
Meanwhile, the horrors and horrifying memories of cyclone and tidal surge of April 29 was recalled through various programmes in the city on Sunday.
Different socio-cultural and political organisations in Chattogram arranged a day-long programme remembering the trail of destruction and loss of lives and property in the south-eastern part of the country caused by the deadly cyclone.
Many organisations arranged discussions to remember the day. They are Upakulio Unnyan Foundation, Sandwip Association, NGO Jote, Coast Trust Association, Patenga Anti-social Resistance Committee, World Vision Bangladesh, YPSA Chattogram City, Anwara Samity on Chattogram, Jattri Kolyan Samity and Kutubdia Samity.
Special prayers for the deceased, feeding the destitute, holding of milad, remembrance meeting, photo exhibition, lighting of candles in memory of those who were killed were the highlights of the day's programmes.
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