Rizvi: Govt’s flawed policies, unplanned development behind worsening flood situation

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday blamed the government's “flawed policies” and “unplanned” development for the worsening flood situation in north-eastern regions, including Sylhet.

Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Naya Paltan central office, he called upon the leaders and workers of their party to stand beside the flood-affected people by extending their helping hands.

“People have become marooned due to the floods caused by the onrush of water from the upstream. Many people have faced severe damage to their homes, farms, and crops. Hospitals, educational institutions, office buildings, and houses went underwater. Fish in ponds and crops fields have been washed away,” he said.

The BNP leader said widespread devastation from floods continues unabated every year due to the government's indifference, which is alarming.

“The flood-affected people now have to pay direly for the government's wrong policy,” he bemoaned.

According to experts, Rizvi said unplanned activities are ongoing in haor areas of Sylhet in the name of development. “The incidence of floods has increased due to obstruction of the normal water flow of the river by constructing dams in the rivers.”

He also lamented that the government has not been able to develop an “early warning system” even after floods occur in the same region every year.

“A government whose programme is to plunge the people into endless misery can never ensure the all-out prosperity of a nation.”

The BNP leader also alleged that no relief materials from the government have reached the water-logged people in greater Sylhet, Rangpur, and Mymensingh regions.

“Hundreds of thousands of flood-affected people are spending their days in helpless and dire condition,” he observed.

Rizvi said the ruling party has established a reign of terror all over Bangladesh. “On the night of Eid, two bike riders were dragged from their houses and killed by stabbing and spraying bullets by the cadres of an Awami League leader in Bogra.”

He said this incident occurred after the bikers collided with the car of the ruling party leader's expatriate daughter.

“The joyous festival of Eid has also been politicised with the spirit of Baksal (one-party governing system). The Awami cadres celebrated the festival through the frenzy of killing people on the day of Eid,” the BNP leader said.

He also voiced concern that the skins of the sacrificial animals were not sold this year due to foul play by the rawhide business syndicate.