Stout damage from 'small' flood in Bangladesh

The floods that hit the Sylhet region of Bangladesh in the second and third weeks of May were apparently considered by many to be mere flash floods caused by the onrush of water from the upstream hilly regions in India. But afterward it had been clear how the north-east region of the country had faced massive damage by the rage of the flood and prolonged waterlogging. The production of boro paddy in the greater Sylhet region, during the country's main crop season, had been hit the hardest. Remaining under water for a long time, ripe and half-ripe paddies had turned into rotten stinking straw. On May 29, a heartbreaking photograph was published on The Samakal which depicted a farmer from Companiganj sub-district of Sylhet district looking down at and touching the rotting paddy. The disbelief and helplessness of the state was clear in his eyes.

After the flood waters receded, the damaged roads, bridges, dams and other structures were looking open-mouthed too. The number of homeless people due to flood-induced river erosion was not low. Member of parliament from the Sylhet area and former education minister of the country, Nurul Islam Nahid said in a facebook post that, the severe damage caused by the floods in East Sylhet, especially along the Surma and Kushiyara rivers, had no matches in recent times. This had resulted in extensive destruction and damage to homesteads and crops. Roads, ghats or small ports, bridges and culverts had mostly been damaged.

To explain why nature's blessing flood has become a curse for Bangladesh, I often refer to American author Tony Morrison. According to her, floods are nothing but the memory of a river. When we take away the normal course of the river, it moves away for the time being; but comes back as a flood again and again with the illusion of the days left behind. When the floods are prevented to return to their playground, it becomes catastrophic.

In a deltaic country like Bangladesh, where three great river systems- Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna- have met, flash floods or seasonal floods are normal natural features. Due to the natural cycle, upstream rain water flows downstream to the Sylhet basin during the Bengali months of Baishakh and Jyastha (April to May). At the same time, similar floods may occur in the Brahmaputra and Teesta basins. But that flood is always temporary, flowing along the river. It stays in the low-lying areas along the two banks for three or four days to go back into the river. It does not cause much damage to crops, houses and installations. Floods may occur in Haor areas during early or mid-Boishakh.  If repairs of crop protection embankments can be done in the middle of the month of Chaitra (March) and paddy can be cut in mid-Boishakh (By April) and taken home, such kind of floods can cause no problem.

The natural cycle of such early floods before the major one of the season did not work this time. As repairs and renovations of haor crop protection dams could not be completed on time, the almost-ripe crops of several Haors (vast wetland) have sunk before the eyes of the farmers. Moreover, the rain water from upstream hills descended through Surma and Kushiyara rivers at the beginning of Jyastha (Mid of May) to cause chronic waterlogging. Hence, what was not earlier seen even in a major flood, happened this time. Sylhet city itself was submerged in the flood waters, although the city was located at an altitude higher than that of other cities in the country.

There are also several hills and brooks across the city. So, generally, there is no question of waterlogging from flood waters in the city. But waterlogging there becomes inevitable as the Surma River bed has been filled on the one hand and, on the other, the natural canals or brooks flowing across the city have been encroached or filled up. All this made the flooding inevitable despite the projects of hundreds of crores of taka. 

Flood was a blessing for the Bengal delta. I would not not only ensure the fertility of the crop lands, but also expand the coastal land mass. To maintain the connection between wetlands and rivers, to keep the aquatic resources and fisheries, flood was an essential for Bangladesh. But man-made obstacles in this natural process became devastating for lives and properties.

It is important to keep in mind that the major flooding of the season is yet to come. Monsoon is approaching, when the rainfall in the Ganges, Jamuna and Meghna basins increases at the same time, then that flood will come. The major flood, which naturally becomes catastrophic sometimes, has a natural cycle too - it comes once every five years.

In the recent past, we have seen major floods in 1988, 1994, 1996, 2004, 2006, 2014, 2017 across Bangladesh. It is also noteworthy that every year before the major floods across the country, there are phases of 'small' or regional floods. Five years have already passed since the last major flood in 2017. Another major flood is imminent not only because of the cycle mentioned above. Besides Sylhet region, North Bengal has also seen localised flooding in different areas more than once this year. Like Sylhet, farmers in Rangpur region have also lost crops in the flooding. Needless to say, if disaster preparedness starts from now on, it will be easier to handle the situation.

We know the story of the lying shepherd who rings false alarms to the villagers. In the case of floods in Bangladesh. Some truthful shepherds in Bangladesh, speak of caution and preparedness necessary to mitigate the disaster losses every year. They call for an end to river grabbing and filling up the floodplain. Also, they call for maintaining the natural flow of flood water. But modern villagers holding responsible positions of the country do not feel the necessity to heed this.

Unfortunately, the same scenario is vivid this year again. On the contrary, small floods have already caused great damage. If we are not still careful enough, the big catastrophe from a major flooding will inevitably await us.

(This article is translated from the print edition of the Samakal)

Sheikh Rokon: writer and researcher; secretary general of Riverine People, a civil society organization dedicated to river, wetland and water resources. He tweets @skrokon