Flood in Bangladesh

Dear Readers,

Though flood occurs every year in Bangladesh due to its lower riparian location, this year's flood has already proven to be devastating for millions. The intensity of flood water, the number of villages and towns submerged under water, the overflowing sewers and the apparent lack of "war-footing" by most of the elected political leaders in handling this calamity, are shocking. The Bangladesh Observer correctly points out that the overall reaction from the "civilized" world is quite uncivilly "lukewarm". And there are equally senseless comments made and actions taken by the two supreme leaders of Bangladeshi politics.

" Prime Minster Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh was recently quoted by the media as saying in Bogra, her political heartland, that the floods are a blessing! She explained that it fertilizes the land with the sediment it brings. It doubles crop production the next year. She, however, did not say how people survive in a flood affected year. For the record, it needs ten years to compensate for the damage done by a year’s flooding."

"The Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina has gone one step further advising the incumbents to follow her policy of 1998 as she left for a four day visit to India. Are we to assume that there is nothing for the opposition to do when the whole country is under floods? Both the leaders have shown great insensitivity to the grave situation facing the country."

United Nations and a few individual nations have recently taken initiatives in addressing the severe flood situation in Bangladesh though the government of Bangladesh is still kept saying that Bangladesh does not need any foreign assistance. One may wonder on the validity and wisdom of these quite arrogant attitudes on the part of Bangladesh government. There is no shame in asking for foreign assistance, both relief and logistical in the face of a natural disaster. The Daily Star reports, " if the UN secretary-general were formally moved by Bangladesh government earlier on, we could have gotten ourselves some lead-time in tackling the pressing needs for reaching succour to millions of destitute people having very little food, water and medicines to survive. From this standpoint, we are a bit confused by the appeal-related sensibilities of the government in regard to a natural disaster of such enormity and destructive sweep. Now that the UN has taken the initiative, it is for the government to do all it can to expedite the inflow of assistance."

Regards,

Mahbubul Karim (Sohel)

A few relief organizations:

1. Bangladesh Red Crescent Society
Address National Headquarters
684-686 Bara Maghbazar
1217 Dhaka
Postal Address G.P.O. Box 579
Dhaka
Contact Information Tel: (880) (2) 9330188 / 9330189 / 9352226
Fax: (880) (2) 9352303/8311908
Telex: 632232 BDRC BJ
Telegram: RED CRESCENT DHAKA
E-Mail: bdrcs@bangla.net
Language of correspondence English
People Chairman: Maj General Z A KHAN (Retd.)
Vice Chairman: Prof. Dr. Gazi ABDUL HAQUE
Secretary General: Mr A.F.M. Obaidur RAHMAN
Treasurer: Dr. Fazlul KABIR

2. World Food Program

In the United States:
US Friends of the WFP
PO Box 11856
Washington, D.C. 20008
*Contributions by US taxpayers are tax-deductible

a. In Japan:
Post Office Account JAWFP
Account No. 00290-8-37418

b. In Italy:
Conto Corrente Postale/Postal Account
No. 89132005

c. Elsewhere in the world:
Chief, REA
Resources Division
WFP - Via Cesare Giulio Viola, 68/70
00148 Rome - Italy

3. Islamic Relief International Head Office
19 Rea Street South
Birmingham
B5 6LB
UK
Tel: 0121 605 5555
Fax: 0121 622 5003
Email: HQ@islamic-Relief.org.uk
Website: www.islamic-relief.com
Website contact: queries@islamic-relief.com
Online donation queries:donation-queries@islamic-relief.org.uk

The Great Himalayan Meltdown

As predicted by environmentalists floods are increasing both in frequency and devastation because of global warming. Snows and glaciers at the source of the rivers flowing into Bangladesh are melting at an unprecedented scale causing massive damage to lives and crops in the entire subcontinent. Due to the growing incidence of floods the world has gotten used to the miseries entailed. The Western dominated news media is circulating reports of snow melting in the Andes but there is no information on the ice-melting in the Himalayas.

The predominant mood in the subcontinent is one of resignation. Prime Minster Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh was recently quoted by the media as saying in Bogra, her political heartland, that the floods are a blessing! She explained that it fertilizes the land with the sediment it brings. It doubles crop production the next year. She, however, did not say how people survive in a flood affected year. For the record, it needs ten years to compensate for the damage done by a year’s flooding.

The Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina has gone one step further advising the incumbents to follow her policy of 1998 as she left for a four day visit to India. Are we to assume that there is nothing for the opposition to do when the whole country is under floods? Both the leaders have shown great insensitivity to the grave situation facing the country.

The government has announced that they are preparing for the post-flood situation implying they have nothing to do in the flood situation. At a time when the Indian Air Force is sending out helicopters to rescue marooned people, this is the response of our leadership. It is really very unfortunate.

People need dry places for shelter and the government should use all its resources to move people to safe places. Waster-purifying tablets, oral saline and dry food should reach the distressed as soon as possible. People should also be encouraged to purify their water by alum and make their own salines. The single cell protein spirulina should be distributed so that people do not suffer from hunger. The whole country should be on a war-footing. Instead, we have idealistic trash thrown at people when they need real succor.

The government has decided not to appeal to the international community for help. This is strange. Global warming was not done by us. Those who are responsible should pay. The government should immediately access the almost 6 billion dollars that are in the pipeline to meet immediate relief needs. It should also get funds from the “Carbon Fund” set up by the Kyoto Treaty as it is particularly focussed on such contingencies arising from the greenhouse effect.

Within the country the three agencies related to flood forecasting -- SPARSO, Meteorological Department and the Flood Forecasting Center should co-ordinate. The current Flood Forecasting Center located in the Water Board relies on data from India when they can easily get more accurate information from SPARSO, another government department. The insensitivity and cavalier manner in which the flood is being handled is a shame to the nation.

Even the NGO response is lukewarm. The nation clearly remembers how vocal they were in subverting the Flood Action Plan (FAP) that was conceived after the floods of 1988. They should be asked to explain their patriotism. They had said then that the money earmarked for FAP would be utilized for poverty reduction and an environment-friendly FAP. Where is that plan now?

The Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh has proposed that they will sit with counterparts from Nepal, Bhutan and China for a permanent solution of the flood problem. This is the first time that India has agreed to involve China in the process. The prime minister Manmohan Singh has also constituted a panel to recommend a solution to the floods within six months. It is unfortunate that the Indian authorities are not including Bangladesh in their scheme of things. Bangladesh should request India to involve the lower riparian as well.

Source Link: http://www.bangladeshobserveronline.com/new/2004/07/28/editorial.htm