Floods in the northeast: Understanding the problems from below
The 2022 flood in the northeast was more than a natural phenomenon; multiple man-made reasons led to its severity. The construction of embankments, roads and infrastructure projects has adversely affected the situation in the Sylhet division
In May and June of 2022, two flash floods devastated the Sylhet and Sunamganj districts in the northeast of Bangladesh. It was termed "the worst flood in 122 years" by a government representative and the country scrambled to provide refuge to the forcefully displaced 4,80,000 people. The flood came as no surprise, it was simply a continuation of the trend of past years but the severity was unexpected.
Bangladesh is a disaster-prone country and is well-known for dealing with natural catastrophes. Climate change has been making matters worse. Floods have been becoming more frequent and devastating in recent years. Furthermore, it seems that discussion and preventative measures to limit the negative impact of flooding are inadequate.
In the Sunamganj district of northeastern Bangladesh, flash floods are a frequent hydro-meteorological danger during monsoon. The district is flat and low-lying, and its southern part falls in the haor region, a large depressed wetland, which remains submerged for 7 to 8 months during the monsoon season and then dries up in winter for around four months.
Flash floods in haor originate in the steep upland sections of the neighbouring Indian hill ranges of Assam and Meghalaya. During flash floods, high monsoon rains frequently transport silt and debris from the Indian hills on the border to the foothills of Sunamganj. Due to siltation and debris deposits, many rivers have lost depth, including Surma, Kushiara, Bhogai-Kongso, Dhanu-Baulai, Monu and Khoai.
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While floods in Bangladesh are frequent and not always disastrous, the floods of 1988, 1998, 2004, 2007, 2017 and 2020 caused massive devastation around the country. The 2022 floods in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona were catastrophic. At least 131 people were reported to have died and 7.2 million people were affected. It further damaged 1,600 kilometres of road and hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops.
According to a survey by the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), 96% of the 980 surveyed households in the Bishwambharpur Upazila of Sunamganj district faced some kind of loss (death, illness, displacement, livelihood loss, etc.) in the past five years. Annual flooding in the Haor basin is predicted to worsen with the rising sea levels.
However, the 2022 flood in the northeast was more than a natural phenomenon; multiple man-made reasons led to its conception and severity. Several researches have shown that the construction of embankments, roads and several infrastructure projects had adversely affected the flood situation of Sylhet division.
For example, the Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram road, or 'Haor Road,' was criticised for destroying the ecosystem of the adjacent areas. Many projects that were built to stop the floodwater also led to blocking that flood water from flowing away. In an interview, the Minister of Planning criticised the unplanned projects in the Haors, saying more harm than good has been done due to these construction projects. The wetlands that used to absorb excess rainwater have been destroyed by construction projects, further contributing to the immensity of the floods.
BIGD researchers had the opportunity to talk with local stakeholders (upazila chairman, UP members, local administration, local elites etc.) in Sunamganj regarding the visible causes of flood. The locals agreed with the observation on unplanned infrastructure, arguing that floodwater could not naturally drain out due to some unplanned embankments. The researchers observed that a few isolated roads and embankments were constructed in the Haor basin.
Local stakeholders also pointed out the incomplete river dredging projects as one of the key reasons. Some said that many large-budget river dredging projects began but did not continue after a few months. Some observed the increase in river corridor encroachment as yet another cause of more intense flooding. Finally, many argued that the excessive water flow from India is one of the causes of floods in Sunamganj.
There are short and long-term effects of these floods. Seeds, crops, especially Boro paddy, fish, houses, assets and properties undergo massive damage in the immediate aftermath. The insufficient number of disaster shelters in proportion to the affected population put thousands of lives at risk.
In the long term, social problems like poverty, unemployment, food crisis, child marriages, weak roads and communication systems are also linked to disasters. Many affected people are migrating to non-affected areas to work as domestic help, rickshaw pullers, and agricultural and non-agricultural day labourers.
One of the key problems the locals pointed out was the lack of employment opportunities in Sunamganj. There is little to do besides agriculture (for a limited time of the season) and sandstone quarrying. The local government stakeholders recommended that national-level policymakers generate and incentivise small business opportunities that utilise local products such as handmade crafts and fish and dry food products.
There is also an opportunity for food businesses, as Sunamganj is the gateway for visiting the popular tourist spot Tanguar Haor. However, any such business would require some level of investment and incentives.
Whenever we think about local development, local knowledge and community experiences must be taken into account. Every region has unique characteristics, resulting in unique problems, opportunities and solutions, which the local people are most aware of.
Furthermore, thorough research is needed on the feasibility and impact of construction work. There is no doubt that floods are increasing in the northeast; we need to discover why. We need concrete evidence of the impact of previous projects. Local contextual experience and research must be considered before undertaking development projects, especially in ecologically sensitive spots like Sunamganj.
Dipika Biswas is a Research Associate at the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University.
Rafsanul Hoque is a Senior Research Associate at the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
