50,000 people in Rangamati town are living at the foot of the hill despite knowing the risk

Abdur Razzak from Rangamati. Although thousands of people have died due to landslides in the last few days, many people of Rangamati are still living under the risk of landslides.

Many people died due to heavy rain especially in Chittagong region due to landslides. But knowing so many risks, many people are living in the hollow of the mountain in Rangamati. The risk of these people is increasing day by day. The people living on the slopes of the mountains are in extreme danger. Only in Rangamati city, the number of people living under the risk of landslides is about 50 thousand. Over half a hundred families in the city area have been displaced due to massive landslides due to continuous heavy rains of the last few days. Many are suffering from anxiety. Apart from this, normal life has been disrupted in the entire district including urban areas due to heavy rains. People are suffering. Land and mountains are collapsing in different places due to rain. The low-lying area surrounding the lake is rapidly being flooded by the rising water of Kaptai Lake.

According to the news, so far there has been no loss of life anywhere in the district, but the risk of landslides has increased in various places. The district administration has warned the vulnerable people to move to safe shelters. It has been seen on the ground that massive landslides have occurred in various places including the area around the Rangamati-Chittagong road during the monsoon. People are afraid of it. Many have moved to safer places. Fearing a major accident due to the ongoing landslides, the district administration has asked the vulnerable population to move to safe places by miking in the city. On investigation, it is known that every year during the monsoon season, massive landslides occur in various parts of the district including Rangamati city area. Thousands of people are at risk. But continuous hill cutting in Rangamati never stopped. Houses are constantly cut down and built at the foot of the hill. The building code is not being followed in the construction of these houses. As a result, the risk of landslides in Rangamati is increasing drastically.

It is known that every year during the rainy season, there are deaths due to landslides. The largest loss of life occurred in June 1997. At that time, 7 people of the same family including children and women lost their lives in the city's Reservemukh area due to a landslide during the monsoon season. Despite this, the construction of unplanned homesteads continues by cutting hills in various areas of Rangamati. Meanwhile, the Rangamati district administration has started the work of preparing a list to safely evacuate the family members living in the dangerous area under the hill. On June 27, under the leadership of Rangamati District Executive Magistrates Nazmul Akhtar and Sabbir Ahmed, members of the fire brigade visited various areas of the city and advised people to evacuate safely from the danger areas. Apart from this, the people are informed to avoid loss of life due to landslides in the mountains. At that time, they prepared a list of people in vulnerable areas of the city, including Rangamati Television Bhawan area, Shimultali and Manikchari and submitted it to the District Commissioner on June 28.

It has been seen on the surface, Rangamati City Reserve Mukh, Keranipahar, Wapda Colony, Omda Mia Hill, Asambasti, Tribal Adam, TTC, Hospital, Bhedvedi, Rangapani, Monghar, College Gate, Kalyanpur, Nawanpara, police line area and around Manikchari on Rangamati-Chittagong road. The construction of homesteads is going on unplanned by cutting the hills in the area. Besides, many people are living under the risk of landslides by cutting the soil and constructing unplanned houses on the foothills of Kaptai Lake and floating dunes. In these dangerous areas, there is a risk of major accidents any time due to landslides. The people of the area feel that if the residents are not removed from these areas on an urgent basis, a major accident may occur.