The Feni Nagorik Coalition (FENACO) has submitted a memorandum to Faruk-e-Azam, Advisor to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, urging immediate action to address the potential flood situation, embankment safety, and transboundary water management in the Feni district.
The memorandum was handed over on Tuesday (June 3) at the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief by a FENACO delegation, which included Saiful Islam, Executive Director of the Center for Governance and Development (CGD); Muhammad Omar Faruq, Executive Director of the Global Knowledge Foundation; and social activist Raufu Rasulun Jyoti.
The memorandum called for the declaration of Feni as a strategic flood-prone region and proposed the urgent implementation of an 11-point action plan, which includes:
- Reliable Flood Forecasting: Establish a continuous and accurate flood forecasting system for Feni through national and local meteorological departments.
- Advance Notification from India: Set up a treaty-based diplomatic mechanism requiring India to notify Bangladesh at least 72 hours in advance before releasing water from upstream sources.
- Community Flood Response Teams: Form local flood response teams at the union and ward levels to raise awareness and prepare residents.
- Smart Alerting Systems: Introduce mobile and loudspeaker-based early warning systems to timely alert vulnerable communities.
- Permanent Embankments: Construct durable and high-quality embankments in erosion-prone or high-flow areas of the Feni River and other critical zones.
- Engineering-Based Infrastructure: Apply research-backed engineering solutions to embankments to prevent collapse from heavy rain or sudden water discharge from upstream.
- Monitoring Taskforce: Create a permanent embankment monitoring taskforce, including engineers, Water Development Board officials, local government, and civil society representatives.
- Joint Water Management with India: Establish a bilateral joint water management committee for the Feni-Tripura border. This committee would coordinate seasonal water release schedules through pre-monsoon consultations between Tripura authorities and the Bangladesh government.
- International Collaboration: Develop an Integrated Water Management Master Plan for the Feni River in collaboration with global leaders in flood management, such as the Netherlands and Japan.
- Technology-Based Surveillance: Implement drone, sensor, and satellite-based monitoring systems to oversee river flow and embankment conditions.
- Flood Education & Training: Integrate flood preparedness education into school and college curricula and provide training to local volunteer groups and fire service personnel to ensure quick response readiness.
FENACO emphasized that proactive and strategic measures must be taken now to protect lives, property, and the environment from recurring flood threats in the region.
