Floods in Sirajganj
Photo: Amirul Rajiv
Sirajganj is one of the natural disaster prone areas in Bangladesh which is affected by flood every year. The greater parts of this district are dominated by alluvial plains with numerous stream channels. The main rivers are the Jamuna and the Karatoa. During the monsoon heavy rainfall occurs in the upstream area. Rainfall run- off from this vast area coupled with snowmelt brings a huge inflow of water with higher percentage of sediment. During the receding monsoon period, between September to October, heavy siltation takes place in the beds of the Jamuna and its tributaries. In this region the main cause of siltation is the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge. The pillars of the bridge act as a barrier against the main flow of the river and create silt in the upstream near Sirajganj. And the flood flow capacity of Jamuna decreases. Now flood causes every year. Special measures should be taken to control floods in this region. A comprehensive integrated planning effort is needed to deal with the problem. It is also necessary to set up a water and power development organisation for implementing the programme which would minimise the damage caused by floods.
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