Waterbodies in haor areas 90% less than thirty years ago
Between 2006 and 2013, haor waterbodies reduced the most
Around 90% of waterbodies in the country's haor areas have been filled in the 32 years from 1988 to 2020, according to a study by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet).
According to the study, the area of waterbodies in Netrokona, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Kishoreganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj and Brahmanbaria districts was 3,026 sq km in 1988, which has diminished to only 399 square kilometres in 2020.
These areas of waterbodies have been filled up and occupied by infrastructure. In 1988, such occupied areas were 988 sq km which increased to 3,840 sq km in 2020.
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Two researchers at Buet – Inzamam-ul-Haq Rifat and Maria Mehreen – started the research in March 2021 and completed it in June 2022, using satellite imagery and Google Earth, under the supervision of Professor Shakil Akhtar of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the university.
The study was released at a programme, "Decades of changes in land use in the haor area and the magnitude of the floods this year", organised by the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) at the National Press Club on Friday.
IPD Executive Director and Urban Planner Adil Muhammad Khan presented the research report.
He said many are talking about various reasons for this year's haor floods, including the all-weather road. However, the main reason for the floods is the reduction of waterbodies. Between 2006 and 2013, waterbodies shrank the most. The reason for the major change in land use from 2013 to 2020 is the master plan of the Haor Development Board.
Planner Chowdhury Md Jaber Sadeq said waterbodies have decreased drastically. Now everyone has to take responsibility to protect the remaining waterbodies in haor areas and digital monitoring can be utilised for this.
He also called for strict assessment and management of any environmental impact before taking up development projects.
IPD Director Ariful Islam suggested that development planning should be taking terrain and land diversity into account so as to protect against natural disasters.
