Prime minister’s intervention on embankment sought to save island district Kutubdia

Three organisations have jointly raised a six-point charter of demand to save the island district of Kitubdia in Cox's Bazar from being annihilated due to erosion.

The demand chiefly includes building embankment to contain erosion of Kutubdia island district.

The Coastal Development and Employment Association, Greenbelt Trust and the Dhaka-based Kutubdia Students' Council (KSC) in a joint press conference on Friday held at the National Press Club also sought the prime minister's intervention.

Speakers highlighted the risks that Kutubdia faces from the continued onslaught of natural calamities.

Close to a million tribal inhabitants residing in the island face the risk of being wiped out, they said.

About 20,000 people have already had their homes either completely razed or partially damaged due to repeated attacks by cyclonic storms accompanied with tidal waves.

These calamities have destroyed about 20 kms of the embankment that skirts the island, the groups said.

A Greenbelt report pointed out that the island dating back to the 900 century has shrunk from 31 square miles in 1999 to just 17 square miles at present.

It warned that if safeguards were not initiated, Kutubdia would be completely wiped away from the map.

The organisations called for the prime minister's intervention to avert what they termed "a human tragedy".

They have called for repairing embankments, guard walls and other safeguards to prevent further damage.