When monsoon arrives, people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts are worried about landslides that can kill anyone anytime. According to media reports, 14 people died after heavy rains caused landslides, flash floods and mud-house walls collapsing in Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhiya, Teknaf and Maheshkhali, including in the refugee camps. Six of the deceased were in Teknaf, two in Maheshkhali and six were in Rohingya refugee camps. This was a tragic loss.
Incessant rain inundated more than 100 villages in Cox’s Bazar’s various upazilas. Water flows 3 to 4 centimetres above the sea level during high tide due to depression. The met office recorded 117 millimetres of rain in 24 hours. Landslides kill many people in Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban during rainy season every year but no effective measures are taken to prevent these losses. In case of such a death, a routine investigation committee is set up and the probe body places a set of recommendations too, but these recommendations are never implemented.
Indiscriminate tree felling, destroying hills forests and excavating hills to build houses are the main reasons for the landslides. The extremely poor people are often compelled to build houses at the foot of the hills. Besides, powerful quarters also cut into the hills to set up houses and rent those out. The number of inhabitants in the hilly areas has increased following the influx of Rohingya refugees in 2017. Such habitation beneath the hills has put the life of Rohingya refugees in danger and created environmental disaster.
According to the law, no house can be set up at the foot of a hill. But many are living at the foot of hills in various places including Chattogram, Cox's Bazar and Rangamati. Many people didn’t leave even after the local administration advised residents to evacuate the area following the met office’s warning recently. These residents fear once they leave area they will no longer be allowed to return.
Hills cover a small area in Bangladesh, mainly a plain land country. There are several hills, not so high, in the north-east and the south-east regions of the country and those protect the balance of nature. Our development projects must not destroy the hill and nature.
So, first of all hill cutting must be stopped to prevent the death caused landslides. No tree will be chopped down on the hills. Secondly, alternative housing will have to be arranged for residents of hilly areas to prevent loss of lives in landslides. Hill cutting is carried out not only for habitation but also for development purposes. It’s the responsibility of the government to protect hills. Protecting hills will also save people. People cannot be protected by destroying hills.