Though Sylhet is way more prone to heavy rains and floods than other parts of the country, the authorities do not seem to be aware at all. The recent incident of three people of the same family dying in a landslide in the city is extremely saddening.
Prothom Alo reports that narrow drains are created on the hillocks during monsoon, with support from influential people. The purpose is to induce the soil, softened from incessant rain to slither down the drains and accumulate at the base of the hillock.
Three members of a family died while a soil from one such hillock came crushing down onto them at Majortila Chamelibag area in the city early on 10 June.
Prothom Alo correspondent during an on-the-spot visit to 11 hillocks in Borogul, Karipara, Hawladar Para, Brahmanshashan, Duski, Dolia and Majortilla areas of the city found out that drains have been dug in five of those hillocks.
While there were no drains carved in the other hillocks, they have been excavated from top to bottom.
Locals complained that the hillock in Chamelibag was being cut under the shelter of Jahangir Alam, councilor of ward no. 35 and joint general secretary of district Jubo League unit. Being sheltered by the councilor, more than a hundred families are residing in houses built all over the hillock with great risk.
This is not the first incident of death from landslide in Sylhet. According to Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) data, as many as 40 people have lost their lives in landslides across Sylhet city and district during the last decade. In 2022, four members of the same family died in Jointapur.
Environmentalists have claimed that minimum 10,000 families are living under great risks at the base of some hillocks at least in 30 locations of the city including Brahmanshashan, Duski, Hawladar Para, Majortila Khadimnagar, Malnichhara, Baluchar and Chandastila.
Apart this, there are innumerous settlings at the base as well as on the slope of the hillocks in Beanibazar, Golapganj, Jointapur and Fenchuganj upazilas also.
Once, the main characteristic of Sylhet city was indeed the green covering on the hills and hillocks. But, that prior beauty of Sylhet doesn’t exist any longer while the greens are also fading away.
And those who have the responsibility of protecting these hills and hillocks are rather callous. Whenever there’s an accident, they seem to be proactive for a few days. Then everyone’s quiet again.
Landslide has a close relation with waterlogging. If the rainwater gets drained soon after the downpour, it doesn’t affect the hills. But, if water keeps accumulating in the city for days at end, the soil of the hillocks are bound to slump.
The problem of waterlogging in Sylhet city has been created indeed because of the river filling in Surma. Despite spending billions in this matter, there has been no return.
The mayor of Sylhet City Corporation after visiting the affected area has talked about showing zero tolerance against hill cutting. Plus, he has asked the deputy commissioner as well as the city dwellers to be vigilant. But, where the local councilor himself is involved in hill cutting the shouts of zero tolerance won’t actually produce any results.
The role of Sylhet city Corporation and the local administration is rather like shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted. They have become somewhat motivated following the death of three people from that landslide. Only if they had done so earlier, three lives might have been spared.
The season of rains and floods is ahead. The dangers will increase even further during this time. So, let the people living at the base of the hillocks be moved to safety at once. At the same time, we believe it’s a timely demand to take legal action against those who are cutting the hills in the name of development or to satisfy their personal interest.