Fooding across Bangladesh, triggered by heavy downpours from several upstream rivers in India, is deteriorating.
According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, the ongoing flash floods have affected 357 unions across eight districts in the eastern part of the country as of Thursday (22 August).
The significance of the latest catastrophe is that parts of the Feni, Noakhali, Cumilla, and Lakshmipur districts have never witnessed such devastating flooding in the last couple of decades.
The primary reasons behind the flash floods were understood as the swelling of some transboundary rivers, including Gumti and Muhuri, following incessant rain in eastern India, and the opening of more than one sluice gate at the Damboor Dam on the Gumti in Tripura to release extra pressure from the onrushing.
However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has disagreed with the understanding.
On Thursday (22 August), India's MEA stated that the water release from the dam mentioned did not cause the flood situation in eastern Bangladesh.
The Indian MEA said they would like to point out that the catchment areas of the Gumti that flow through India and Bangladesh have witnessed the heaviest rains this year over the last few days.
“The flood in Bangladesh is primarily due to the waters from these large catchments downstream of the dam,” MEA stated.
According to MEA’s statement, the low-height (about 30m) Damboor dam is located quite far from the border—over 120km upstream of Bangladesh.
The Muhuri River starts in the Lushai Hills of Tripura and enters Bangladesh through Feni. The Gomti River originates from Damboor in Tripura and enters Bangladesh through Cumilla after travelling 150 kilometres.
Hindustan Times reported on 21 August that some districts in South Tripura recorded rainfall of 307.14mm–375.8mm in the past 24 hours.
M Inamul Haque, chairman of the Institute of Water and Environment, talked to Bangladesh First on the issue.
He said several river basins in Tripura have been overflown by incessant rains for a couple of days.
According to him, Damboor Lake was also overflowing and excess rainwater spilled over the dam. This was the primary reason behind the swelling of the Gompti. However, the spilled-over water flows westward in Udaipur and south of Agartala, entering north of Cumilla.
The flow of onrush through Gompti couldn’t submerge the floodplains (for example, Phulgachhi and Chhagalnaia) in Feni because this place is surrounded by hills on its west and east sides, he added.
“The swelling of Muhuri, following excessive rain, caused the flooding in Feni and its neighbourhood districts,” Inamul said.
Sheikh Rokon, secretary general of Riverine People, a Dhaka-based national civil society organisation, understood that excessive rainfall led to flooding. He also guessed that flooding in the Gomti River in Cumilla wouldn't cause flooding in the Muhuri River in Feni.
However, Rokon has brought some questions to the fore. His first question is, are there Indian dams or barrages on the Gomti or Muhuri rivers?
“The answer is, yes, there are. There is a barrage at Kalsi in the South Tripura district on the Muhuri River. There are also several dams on the tributaries of the Muhuri River,” Rokon said.
To find proof of the opening gates of the Indian dam, Rokon has observed the strength of the river currents.
“The fact that this year's flood has become catastrophic due to the opening of dams and barrages can be understood by the currents. Normal floodwaters can create currents in the river instead of open fields and settlements,” he said.
Did India, the upstream country, inform Bangladesh, the downstream country, in advance before releasing water from the Damboor Dam or the Kalsi Barrage on the Muhuri?
The answer is, no, they did not.
What is the issue with opening a dam or barrage without prior notice?
“The flood is already happening. A natural flood might not cause too much harm. But when a dam or barrage is suddenly opened, the flood is bound to become catastrophic,” Rokon answered.
Normally, in a natural flood, water levels might rise and fall over three days. But if a dam or barrage is opened, the impact of three-day flooding becomes intensified more like what a rapid onrush can do in three hours.
If the downstream country is not informed in advance about the opening, it cannot absorb the shocks and manage the rescue operation smoothly. The loss of life and property becomes much greater.
“That's what happened this time,” Rokon has observed.
Bangladesh has agreements with both India and China to share information on rainfall and floods in shared river basins.
For example, China informs Bangladesh about the Brahmaputra River.
Similarly, when there is heavy rainfall or flooding in the Dinajpur or Thakurgaon districts of the Atrai or Purnabhaba river basins, Bangladesh alerts India so that the North or South Dinajpur districts in West Bengal can get prepared.
Before the latest flooding in eastern Bangladesh, India had informed Bangladesh about excessive rainfall and floods in Tripura.
However, India didn’t inform Bangladesh about the opening of the Dambur and Kalsi dams and barrages.
Rokon said, “This is why this flood has turned so disastrous.”
