ছবি: Photo: Collected
On January 23, 2025, a workshop titled “Proactive Measures for Landslide Management in Chattogram and Bandarban Districts” was held at the Lakeshore Hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka, organized by Save the Children. The workshop revealed alarming statistics regarding landslides in Bangladesh, indicating that the frequency of such incidents is increasing by 4% annually. In 2024 alone, landslides claimed the lives of 30 individuals across the country, with 20 fatalities reported in the Chattogram region.The workshop focused on developing protocols, establishing advanced forecasting systems in vulnerable areas, and enhancing community capacity to manage landslide risks. Fatima Meherunnessa, project manager at Save the Children, and Asif Bin Anwar, a climate expert from RIMS, presented detailed reports on the subject.Meherunnessa emphasized that the project's objective is to ensure preparedness against multiple risks such as landslides and sudden floods in the hilly areas of Chattogram and Bandarban. The initiative aims to improve the living standards of 40,540 beneficiaries in Lama and Naikhongchhari (Bandarban), Chattogram City Corporation, and Banshkhali.According to reports presented at the workshop, Bangladesh has faced significant natural disasters affecting approximately 42 million people worldwide. Among these disasters, around 9.4 million people became homeless, with 1,053 fatalities and damages amounting to $4.1 billion.From 2000 to 2018, an average of 19 significant landslide disasters occurred annually in Bangladesh, with a consistent increase of about 4% each year. A notable incident on June 11, 2007, resulted in 100 landslides due to heavy rainfall, leading to the deaths of between 127 and 135 people. Similarly, heavy seasonal rains on June 18 and 19 in 2024 caused 773 landslides in Cox's Bazar refugee camps, resulting in casualties and extensive damage.During a Q&A session at the workshop, Abdur Rahman, Deputy Director of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, inquired about the reasons behind the annual increase in landslides. Save the Children representatives attributed this rise primarily to climate change and unplanned habitation in hilly areas. They noted that high mortality rates during landslides in 2007 and 2017 were linked to prior developmental activities that involved hill cutting and excessive rainfall during those periods.Save the Children highlighted that the southeastern hilly regions of Bangladesh are predominantly composed of Silty Clay Loam soil (67%), which has low water retention capacity. Prolonged heavy rainfall and climate change are major contributors to landslides. Residents living on slopes face not only loss of homes and livelihoods but also disruptions to essential services. The average annual rainfall in Chattogram is around 2,500 millimeters, peaking during June and July. Rainfall exceeding 70 millimeters per hour is directly linked to landslide occurrences. Furthermore, hill cutting and deforestation exacerbate landslide risks by causing soil erosion and disrupting natural drainage systems.The workshop revealed that approximately 65% of people residing in hilly regions live on khas land (government land). About 33% have experienced at least one landslide incident within two to three years. Additionally, 21% reported experiencing earthquakes, while others faced flash floods or simultaneous occurrences of landslides and flooding.Mohammad Moshtaq Hossain, Humanitarian Director at Save the Children, remarked that Bangladesh is prone to various natural disasters including cyclones, droughts, floods, lightning strikes, and landslides every year. However, significant attention to landslides has only emerged after 2007.KM Abdul Wadud, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, stated that problems began when humanity intruded into nature. He assured that the government is actively working on controlling landslides and aims to issue early warning messages regarding such disasters.The workshop concluded with a call for enhanced preparedness measures and community resilience strategies to address the growing threat of landslides in Bangladesh's vulnerable regions.
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