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Contemplating permanent flood control

^jF We want solution of any problem suddenly. But it may take 1-2 generations to solve such problems where natural phenomenon is directly involved. Formation of dedicated national group from academic/research organisations, NGOs, implementing agencies and target group is very important in order to try to develop effective low cost methods for river system stabilisation that will be adaptive within our local social and environmental conditions.

MD. MUNSUR RAHMAN
rime Minister Khaleda Zia directed the ministries concerned to prepare for executing permanent measures to tackle floods once the current flooding is over. Prime Minister Khaleda particularly asked for making lasting arrangements for preventing river erosion and dredging rivers as part of permanent measures to prevent floods." (The Daily Star, August 02)
The intention is good enough, but we do not know yet how to achieve such desired goal even if we have enough money to do it. Because, the geographical location of Bangladesh is rather complex, and problems related to river bank erosion and their countermeasure is very difficult to handle. Any adapted method must be capable to sustain during the monsoon, when we face huge discharges that usually exceed the capacity of the river systems and during the dry season when we have very limited flow and rivers are mostly silted up. The maximum discharge sometimes is more than 70 times of the minimum. With this kind of high discharge variability, development of stabilised river systems with lasting arrangement for preventing river erosion is really a big challenge. Also, artificial dredging is a recurrent event and a very expensive exercise for the huge river systems and corresponding economic capability of Bangladesh.
Experts from other parts of the world, specially from so called developed countries, have never encountered the problems we are facing in Bangladesh. initially, we need to know the physical systems before prescribing any method for solving such problem. Therefore, we
should not expect that the outsiders would be able to solve our problem, although they (donors) are equipped with a number of recently developed technology.
Right now, we are lacking in sophisticated instruments in order to handle large-scale problems in big river systems. But we, the people (both general people and technical
people) of our country know the river systems better than the outsiders.
But here we have problems that the people of technical community usually do not evaluate the wisdom and experiences of the people of general community where a range of different professionals belong. There exists a big gap between research-ers/scientists and the target group.
Although, in many cases, the people in the target group are not educated with science based knowledge, but they are coping with natural disasters to some extent using their long experience and wisdom. The technical people should go close to them with stu-dents/researchers and try to understand their problems and solving philosophy. We need to
evaluate their knowledge to find some technically sustainable solution. May be we need to modify some part of their traditional approaches. if the general people are associated with the evolution processes of any technology, only then they can involve themselves during the implementation or maintenance phases. otherwise the development projects eventually will fail on the long-term basis.
in order to address the above issues and try to find long-term solution for our water resources sector, first of all, it is important to have a stable river system in Bangladesh. We have been trying to do this work for the last 30-40 years using the knowledge and experiences of some hired engineers especially from Europe. With the experience we gained so far, we could conclude that the methods developed in a situation that differs from the situation of Bangladesh would not be effective to solve our problems that are quite unique in nature. We need to develop some sorts of method that would be less expensive, environment friendly and adaptive in the local social and economic condition. if we ask for money to do such kind of work, the donors will never allow. So we should start work towards such direction using our own local resources. if we can find suitable solutions despite our budget constraint at a pilot level, then final funding for such development
projects may be relatively easier to collect.
Whatever methods we are now adopting in Bangladesh are developed in some different social and economic (usually higher economy thanEit is in Bangladesh) environment. TheseEmethods are copied directlyEas a solution of the problems in Bangladesh by donors -- that never proved to be effective.
We have to utilise our available resources (both technical and financial) to have a solution of our recurrent water resources problems.
Also, we need to change the attitude of general people that control or management of natural phenomenon is very complex and difficult work. it is not possible to solve such problems suddenly. We need longer time scale. We have to have enough patience during the stages of such development. We should not sweepingly blame any organisation (such as BWDB) saying that they areEnot working well for the protection of our lands and properties from river bank erosion or such sorts of calamities. it is not an easy task. News media can contribute in a positive campaign.
Some sorts of feeling has already been developed in our society that we want solution of any problem suddenly. But it may take 1-2 generations to solve such problems where natural phenomenon is directly involved. Formation of dedicated national group from aca-demic/research organisations, NGos, implementing agencies and target group is very important in order to try to develop effective low cost methods for river system stabilisation that will be adaptive within our local social and environmental conditions.
Md. Munsur Rahman, PhD is Assistant Professor, Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM), BUET