Yes, we appeal to the government, we appeal to the people of the country and we appeal to the international community to take concrete action to save the beautiful landmass called Chattogram. But the painful reality is, this landmass is slowly sinking below the sea level and perhaps in the next hundred years or so there will only be a big void where the city once thrived. Let us emphasise once again: Chattogram today remains one of the ten fastest sinking cities of the world.
When we read that Chattogram is one of the ten fastest sinking coastal cities in the world, we wonder what went wrong and when? What the past governments and the big and pompous politicians of Chattogram have done to save it? Environmentalists say that the sinking process started decades ago, and though occasionally warning shots have been fired by them to send the message home, but no pragmatic measures have been taken by any government nor have we seen any rally or hunger strike by the politicians on this vital issue. The development authority and the politicians have always asked for funds to undertake projects with big assurances, but in reality, it all ended in square one.
Recently our attention has been drawn to a media report where it was said that so far 10 thousand crore takas have been spent to make the commercial capital livable again. But nothing has happened, and the city continues to sink steadily and dangerously. When will they wake up?
The city goes under water after a moderate rainfall. Recently residents suffered immensely as it was under 102 millimeters of rainwater for days together. All the drains and canals running through the city became clogged with debris of different types as these are not cleaned on a regular basis. This is surely an insult for the ‘Commercial Capital’ of the country. Naturally, citizens want to know where that 10 thousand core taka has gone.
According to a survey by the Public Works Directorate, a government agency in Bangladesh, about 69 % of the city is now affected by flood tides. Another study published in the scientific journal Geophysical Research Letters states that Chattogram lost 2.39 centimetres of land each year between 2015 and 2020. We believe the process of ‘loss of land’ has not stopped by any miracle. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), sea levels have been rising at a rate of about three millimetres per year since 1993.
What can be done to save Chattogram? Well, we may learn from the countries that have successfully installed mechanism to save their landmass from going under water. The Netherlands is one such country that have given some permanent solutions to their age-old problem. It was also sinking below the sea level and experiencing floods every year. The government of the Netherlands had offered technological know-how to the government of Bangladesh years ago, but we do not know what happened after that.
Chattogram is subsiding, meaning the land is sinking due to a combination of factors including groundwater extraction and the weight of the city’s infrastructure. According to experts, excessive pumping of groundwater for drinking water and industrial use can cause the land to compact and sink. And the weight of the buildings and other structures in Chattogram also contributes to the sinking of the land.
Therefore, experts warn that Chattogram is facing a dual threat of land subsidence and rising sea levels, making it a particularly vulnerable coastal city.
How can we save Chattogram? Experts tell us that we need to construct better water drainage system, build sustainable infrastructure, and address climate change impacts properly. Also, we need to raise road levels, construct artificial ponds and recharge wells to improve water permeation.
Keeping in mind that Chattogram has the largest seaport of the country which facilitates the bulk of our export and import and is a beautiful tourism destination, nothing should stop us from investing money and technology to salvage the landmass from sinking any further. Undoubtedly, Chattogram has the most beautiful face of Bangladesh, so let’s save it before it is too late.