The government is taking new mega projects to protect the coastal areas from the devastation of natural disasters and the sustainable embankment management appears to be the real recipe for this.
The authorities concerned is bringing change in the design to make sustainable embankments. At the same time new plans are also being taken for maintaining the coastal region embankments.
Confirming the matter to Bangladesh Post, Senior Secretary Water Resources Ministry,Kabir Bin Anwar, said, “There is a plan of four projects to construct sustainable embankments in the country. It has already been sent to ECNEC for approval. We are optimistic about getting final nod to these projects within this year.”
“After getting approval we are hopeful that we will be able to implement these projects within the next two to three years. The damage will be less due to floods once these projects are implemented,” he added.
Regarding damages to embankments in the southwestern parts of the country, Kabir Bin Anwar said, “There are 139 polders in the coastal region in our country. Polders in Satkhira, Bagerhat, and Khulna were repeatedly damaged by cyclones like Sidr, Aila and Amphan. We will start our work there on a priority basis.”
According to the Water Development Board (WDB), there are about 17,000 kilometer (km) of embankments in the country. Of these, 5,757 km are in the coastal areas which is facing risk. Several projects were taken up at different times to repair the dams, but to little avail. Rather cyclones like Sidr, Aila and Amphan have broken dams at different places. Although patchwork for repair of dams was done after each disaster, no effective step has been taken to build sustainable embankments. As a result, the coastal areas from Satkhira-Khulna-Barisal to Cox's Bazar are at extreme risk.
Relevant sources said that after the cyclone Aila in 2009, the impact of cyclone 'Bulbul' in November 2019 was undoubtedly greater. However, on May 20, about 150 km of embankment was breached due to the impact of Amphan and a large area was flooded. About 50 million people in some 25 coastal districts are at extreme risk.
Locals of the coastal areas claimed that the authorities concerned did not pay any heed to their suggestions.
However, the ministry officials said that the design of the embankments is also being changed following the recommendations of the local people. The height of the dam will be increased to 13 feet from five feet and the width will be 12 feet. Regular dredging has also been planned to keep the river flowing normal. The projects will be implemented in phases, they added.
Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM EnamulHaqueShamim recently said, “Four projects are on the cards with a budget of Tk 8,000 crore for sustainable embankments in southwestern part of the country. The projects will begin this year and are expected to be completed within two to three years.”
He further said, “We are taking several initiatives to construct a special driveway from Cox’s Bazar to Satkhira. Protecting the Sundarbans, rivers and solving the crisis of pure drinking water are also among our top priorities.”
According to the German Watch Climate Risk Index, Bangladesh is the seventh most climate vulnerable country in the world. Nearly 13 percent of coastal land by 2080 will be submerged due to sea level rise, according to prediction.
