Why only demand embankment?

Generation after generation we the coastal people have cried for sustainable embankment, it happens hardly. So, it should not only the embankment, we should demand something else more along with this.

As a climate activists, as I have to be based on scientific fact, some time I say that after 100 years to see a sun set we have to go Chandpur, not in Coxsbazar, it means in view of scientific forecast Bangladesh will lost 1/3 of its land, it means there are probability of around 24 coastal districts will go under water, if the present rate of global carbon emission will continue.

We should demand a dignified migration of coastal population, the needs are our children should have good technical education, e.g., I propose technical education like electric work and others skill education from class viii until xii, so that drop outee children and youth will get some job in our growing urban areas.

Survey said that 50 % of high school dropout at the end of intermediate or in college level. We have to reformulate our primary and tertiary education so that our boys and girls will be able to speak English so that they will get salesman job in Dubai airport, not that they will get cleaner job in toilets in those airports. We have to give importance to educate our daughters as Nurse and Caregivers, so that hour daughters and sister while they will go in Middle East they will get respect and human treatment.

We must demand drastic changes in of water, drainage and sewerage system in our cities, as when the coastal people will come here, at least they will have safe drinking water, and good draining and sewerage systems, and they should not be treated like the present slum dwellers. Study says that there are daily intake of around 500 to 2000 population from coastal area in Dhaka city. Al they must have a decent living. These poor population whatever they are your maid or driver, they are the part of our urban life. It should be noted that by next 50 years, 80 % of Bangladesh population will be living in our major cities.

Some time I feel skeptic to demand emergency embankment as somehow it’s create some illegal income for some people. We must have to demand reform in water development board, its staff has no reportable relationship in district or sub-district authorities. Even for a simple maintenance budget they have to take approval from Dhaka. Why not they will take participation of local government i.e., union and upazila perished. Coastal embankment must be integrated with coastal afforestation. In Srilanka, they have half a kilometer afforestation before of the embankment as a first line protection to water tidal surge. We can solve the problem of 21st century with the institutions of 18th century, there is a need of reform.

Our leaders will come up in appeasing us, telling that we will have super dike like Netherlands as forecasted in Delta plan.

But, do we have political wish on this, I wonder whether we have resource and technical capacities on this. So, we should not only demand embankment, which will benefit to a vested groups. We must have to think and holistic approach and demand accordingly.