A Simple, Inexpensive Proposal for Facilitating the SIDR Victims

Abstract

SIDR caused tremendous loss to Bangladesh and her people by causing (i) Destruction of part of the Sundarbans, (ii) Damage of huge properties belonging to the government, (iii) Deaths of over 3500 persons, (iv) Damage of vast properties belonging to numerous families etc. The responsibility of the first two tasks, i.e. (i) Regeneration of the Sundarbans and (ii) Making good the damaged government properties goes on to the government and it is understood that the government would take proper steps to that effect. The people of the affected area are suffering tremendously due to the loss of their dear relatives and their extremely valuable properties. It is not still known how these victims would be compensated, or how they would feel safe in the coming days. The government’s aid and people’s benevolence would probably help them to survive for the time being, but it would not ensure any permanent solution to their problems, which is endless visit of hazards. Within in a few years there will be similar hazards (cyclonic storm associated with tidal bore) and the affected people would face similar fate. In the affected area, saving of immovable properties like crops, fish and trees from the raze of flood and wind is extremely difficult. However, in this age, when the government of Bangladesh is taking billion-dollar projects for the construction of fly-over, overhead mono-rails or underground rail lines for solving the traffic problem of a single city (i.e. Dhaka), its failure to save the lives and movable properties of the people of the affects area should be considered as unpardonable crime. And we all know, in spite of vast donations received from home and abroad our government, with its numerous past records of failure, is going to fail again in safeguarding the distressed people of the SIDR-affected area.