Sidr: A recurring misfortune?
In 1991, I experienced the destruction of Cyclone Gorky. At that time I felt how much insecure we people were. Today when I see the sufferings of the Sidr-affected people and areas, I still find people being helpless facing the crude wrath of nature. This is indeed very unfortunate. Years passed since Gorky, we still remain as vulnerable as we were. Bangladesh being a delta with most of its parts in coastal areas, will face natural disasters like cyclone, hurricane or even tsunami very often. Therefore, we must fortify ourselves to fight such calamities. There should be public awareness campaigns for disaster management in these coastal areas throughout the year. People of these coastal areas should be trained on safeguarding themselves along with their belongings such as cattle during the disaster. There should also be clear understanding and knowledge on the needful to be done after the crisis. Adequate number of cyclone centres should be developed in these areas. All schools, colleges, mosques or other infrastructure should be developed in such a way so that they can serve as shelters during the disaster period. We expect relief operation to go ahead in order for people in the cyclone battered areas to return to a semblance of normalcy. I have been informed by a newspaper that 14 million people are yet out of shelter or rescue coverage. This is indeed shocking! I urge the government, the private sector and NGOs to identify the poor of these coastal areas and rehabilitate them with enough resources to fight back. The weather forecasting team should be more efficient and updated to deliver the right news at the right time. I earnestly wish that our countrymen were resilient and capable enough to fight such recurring misfortune anytime anywhere in the years to come. May the Almighty bless all the victims with patience and courage.
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