BANGLADESH: Floods and mudslide toll rises
Updated
Corruption and greed in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong is in part being blamed for this week's floods and mudslides that have so far claimed more than 130 lives. Dozens of hillside homes have been buried after monsoon rains. Others have been swept away with many other houses collapsed in the worst disaster in over a decade.
Presenter: Sonja Heydeman
Speakers: Dhaka University's Doctor Mahbub Ahmad; Editor of the Bangladesh Observer, Iqbal Chowdhury
Much of the city of nearly five million people, Bangladesh's commercial capital, has been flooded by waist high water, closing down businesses, offices, port operations and transport.
Rescuers including troops, firefighters, police and volunteers continue to search for those missing, with flooded roads and no electricity in some areas hampering efforts.
However, the question of what caused this disaster is now front of mind.
Doctor Mahbub Ahmad, Professor of Sociology at Dhaka University says there are a number of theories about what's behind this disaster.
He says some people believe this is one of the impacts of global climate change.
However local specialists believe the mudslides are due to the rampant devastation of the natural resources in Chittagong .. the uncontrolled felling of trees on the hills to construct homes and the subsequent lack of drainage.
Doctor Ahmad says he believes corruption and greed have lead to nature being plundered .. increasing the regions susceptibility to horrific mudslides.
AHMAD: The businessmen because of their profit motives, the industrialists because of their needs they would corrupt the administrations, and will get by, and the administrations will probably turn to a deaf ear to the needs of the people. And it so happened so many times in the newspapers people were talking about the devastations of the nature, the calamities that were likely to take place or had taken place but the administration was quiet.
Doctor Ahmad says it's not plausible to point the finger at the poor.
He says poverty is not the primary motive for deforestation.
AHMAD: But it is the greed of the businessman as well as the dishonesty of the forest officers that lead to these sorts of deforestations. So this is the case everywhere in Banglasdesh, everywhere in the entire world, the poor they might encroach on the resources when they're compelled to but they will not do it to such a scale that results in this kind of devastation.
While citizens like Doctor Ahmad are calling for lessons to be learned from the tragedy.. the reality of life in Chittagong is hitting home.
Editor of the Bangladesh Observer, Iqbal Chowdhury says in the sodden landscape, fresh water supplies will be most critical to the people.
CHOWDHURY: Because of this water logging they enter sewage system that was disrupted and there is a heavy drought of pure drinking water and that is another measure problem now that the city is facing. The electricity is not working and in many places the snapped electric wires that also caused sudden deaths and so these are the measure problems that are to be looked into.
Iqbal Chowdhury says he hopes the international community will support Bangladesh .. given the most basic supplies are now required.
CHOWDHURY: They'll also be short supply of daily essentials like say food items and the administration is apprehending that after this water recedes there can be break out of water born diseases like diarrhoea and scabies and other things
HEYDEMAN: Bangladesh is now bracing for a potential flow on from the floods.
Iqbal Chowdhury says the impact may still be felt down river, especially if the rains continue.
CHOWDHURY: This may caused a major flood in large areas, particularly in the border areas.
HEYDEMAN: Dhaka University's Doctor Mahbub Ahmad says while the task ahead is significant, Bangladesh has an inherent resilience and is well positioned to cope.
AHMAD: The NGO's in Banglasdesh are more or less functioning well and even though it may take a little time, but they would be able to control it with some assistance from the donors, government, they'll be able to handle it. They did this in the past .. what you call the disaster management and I think that Bangladesh is well equipped to deal with this problem.
