We express our deepest condolences over the tragic death of four members of a family, including a husband and wife, in a landslide triggered by downpours in Golapganj upazila of Sylhet early Sunday. The family had been living at the foot of a hillock for many years. As heavy rain continued, a large chunk of the weakened hillock suddenly collapsed onto their home, burying them under debris. Despite the neighbours' desperate rescue efforts, the lives could not be saved.
This incident is not an isolated one. Each year, landslides claim lives in the hills of Chattogram, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Cox’s Bazar, and parts of Sylhet, especially during the monsoon between June and September.
A major contributing factor to these disasters is indiscriminate hill cutting. An influential section of society, often acting with impunity, continues to raze hills in blatant violation of environmental laws. While the authorities occasionally conduct raids and penalise those involved, these steps are mostly inadequate and prove futile. Reports indicate that while cases are filed against hired labourers, the real culprits with political influence and economic power remain untouched due to their unholy nexus with local administration officials.
Hill cutting is not only environmentally destructive but also dangerously short-sighted. In many cases, entire hill slopes are being flattened under the very nose of local authorities, who often turn a blind eye to this crime. Activists and residents who protest are frequently threatened by armed middlemen hired by these powerful groups.
Despite repeated warnings
from environmental experts,
effective measures remain absent
Beyond hill cutting, several other factors—unchecked denudation of forests, unplanned housing and drainage systems, unsustainable Jhum cultivation, and the escalating effects of climate change—are aggravating the situation. Years of such practices have destabilised hills across the country, making them increasingly prone to deadly landslides.
Despite repeated warnings from environmental experts, effective measures remain absent. In the name of housing development, hills continue to be destroyed as the demand for plots and flats rises. Without intervention, these regions have become more vulnerable to frequent and more devastating disasters in future.
With heavy showers likely to continue throughout the month, immediate steps must be taken. Local authorities should evacuate residents from vulnerable hill slopes to safer areas without delay. Simultaneously, long-term protective measures must be implemented.
Experts have long called for a comprehensive master plan to address landslide risks. Such a plan should begin with identifying high-risk zones before the onset of monsoon and include permanent relocation of population at risk. A dedicated task force should be created to monitor cracks in the hillocks, fill them during the dry season, and construct proper drainage canals to allow water to drain away. Installing protective lead nets in certain areas and avoiding unplanned road construction through fragile slopes are also essential steps.
It is no longer enough to react after disaster strikes. We strongly urge the government to develop and implement a robust master plan—one that focuses on prevention, risk reduction, proper land use, and sustainable development. Only with such an integrated approach can we hope to prevent further loss of life and protect our nation’s hills and communities from recurring tragedies.
