Despite several deaths in landslides every year, those camped on Chittagong’s hillside and hill-top areas continue to live in the high-risk zones, refusing to leave their homes. Since 1998, a total of 253 people have died in landslides. Steps taken by the Chittagong district administration, to shift these residents, to safer places, have all gone in vain, as the residents refused to leave their homes, despite these being located in the high-risk zone, sources said.
Meanwhile, following the deaths of a mother and daughter duo in Sunday’s landslide, the district administration, on Monday, started shifting hill-top and hillside dwellers at Tankir Hill area in Lal Khan Bazar of the port city.
The Vigilance and Temporary Rehabilitation Committee of Chittagong district administration, led by additional deputy commissioner Humayun Kabir, monitored the shifting process, from Monday morning.
Kabir said, “We’ve asked the residents to shift to the Lal Khan Bazar Government Primary School. But many residents have refused to shift from their slum houses. So, we have directed the team to lock the houses of those who refuse to leave to the temporary shelter. We’re doing this to save these people from possible landslides during monsoon.”
Sources said that two ward councillors, Monwara Begum Moni of BNP, and Manik of Awami League, and convener of Chittagong City Jubo League, Mohiuddin Bachchu, allegedly took the hills on lease from the authorities concerned, including Bangladesh Railway, and developed the shanty towns on the hills and hill-side areas. They allegedly leased out these developments to local influentials.
The deputy commissioner (DC) of Chittagong, Abdul Manan, said, “I’ve visited the hilly areas of the city. Most residents are living there in illegal houses. We have requested them to leave these areas, as landslides may occur any time, due to heavy rains.”
He said, “Many illegal establishments are being constructed on the hills. Chittagong district administration will issue letters to the owners of hills to shift these people. If they fail to shift them from the risky areas, the district administration will take steps in this regard.”
More than 50,000 people currently live in Chittagong’s hillside, despite high risk to their lives. Despite measures by Chittagong District Administration, Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), and Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), to shift these people during rainy season, they return after rains stop.
Sources said that indifference of the authorities, in evacuating people from vulnerable points along the hills, is responsible for recurrent landslides that have claimed many lives over a decade. At least 116 people were killed on June 28 in 2011, in landslides and wall collapse, in three districts—Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban—while 253 died in similar incidents only in the port city, since 1998.
Of the 116 deaths in three districts, 23 were reported in Akbar Shah Colony, Harbatali and Biswa Colony in Chittagong city.
Landslides buried two people alive in Biswa Colony, on August 14, and 17 people at Batali Hill on July 1, in 2011; 11 at Lal Khan Bazar Motijharna on August 18 in 2008; and 127 in the city and its suburbs, on June 11 in 2007.
Besides, more than 70 were killed in landslides in Chittagong in the last 14 years. Sixteen were killed in 1998, 19 in 1999, 16 in 2000, and seven in 2002. Some 200 hills in and around the port city have already been levelled fully or partially, threatening the environment. A group of miscreants is engaged in destroying the hills, for a long time, in connivance with the police and community influentials.
According to the sources, those living at the hillside, at Lal Khan Bazar, Baizid Bostami, Motijhorna, Sher Shah Colony, and other adjacent areas, are at high risk during the rainy season. Despite the government’s efforts, they did not leave their houses, as they have no other shelters here in the port city. As a result, the risk of casualties by landslide, in the current rainy season, is increasing dangerously.
After the landslides, many of the dwellers have left their houses fearing for their lives. But, later, all of them returned to their houses in Lal Khan Bazar, Baizid Bostami, Motijhorna, Khulshi, Panchlaish, Sholoshahar, Foy’s Lake, Oxygen Intersection, and Polytechnic hilly areas.
It may be mentioned that the probe committees that were formed to investigate the tragic land slide in Chittagong in 2007, identified a total of 33 causes, including 28 reasons for landslide and 5 reasons for wall collapse, in Chittagong. The committees also recommended 50 points, to save Chittagong from landslide. But, all of the recommendations were not realised due to the negligence of the local administration, the locals alleged.
The landslide is used to occur due to massive and unplanned hill cutting, which is rampant in Chittagong. Some dishonest people—including political influentials, local goons, and administrators—are involved in a well-oiled syndicate that engages in the rampant cutting of hills in the port city, resulting in serious ecological imbalance and environmental disaster.
-With The Independent input
