Bhobodoho Disaster

Newspaper Coverage

2007-01-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

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Manob Bondhon

2006-12-28T12:25:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to all the poeple who worked hard to successfully organize the "Human Chain" program for the bhobodoho people.

Here are some links of some newspaper -

Daily Star:

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http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/12/24/d61224061081.htm

Jugantor:

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http://jugantor.com/online/news.php?id=39124&sys=1

Please Help the S.S.C. Students at Bhobodoho

2006-12-20T22:54:00.000-08:00

We are running out of our time. We need to collect US $10,000.00 within this month to pay the exam fees of S.S.C. students at Bhobodoho, Jessore. Please try to make your contribution whatever the amount is. We accept all forms of payment - credit/debit/ paypal/checks. Visit the following page for details -

http://www.drishtipat.org/virginia/

Please try to share this message with your friends/collegues.

Send SMS "VOBO" at '2233' from your mobile phone

2006-12-20T02:25:00.000-08:00

Send a SMS Message "VOBO" to '2233' from any mobile phone operator in Bangladesh.

This money will aid the students at Bhobodoho to complete their SSC/ HSC exam registration.

This will go on till Jan 20, 2007.

Please send as much SMS as you can. Help the poor students.

Help the Students take the SSC Exam in Bhobodho.

2006-12-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of the school and number of students appearing for the SSC exam. They need money to appear for the exam.

Think about it....

More Update will come soon.

2006-12-09T11:56:00.000-08:00

Save the people in Bhobodoho

Human Chain to take immediate action in Bhobodoho

Venue: Shohid Minar

Time: 21st December, Thursday, 1:00 pm

2006-12-09T11:50:00.000-08:00

This poster was created by some students from BUET. The students have taken this issue seriously and ready to help those people in Bhobodoho. They, along with Drishtipat, are planning to hold a human chain on the 20th of December at 1:00 pm in the central Shohid Minar.

Lets make this effort a success

Article from NewAgeBD Website

2006-11-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

Here is another Article found on the Web:

http://www.newagebd.com/2006/aug/14/front.html

HC asks govt to help villagers affected by water-logging in Jessore Shahiduzzaman.

The High Court on Sunday directed the government to provide all the necessary services, products, goods and other supports within its means to ensure that the people affected by prolonged water-logging in the three upazilas of Jessore are safety re-located and given relief.

A High Court bench of Justice Syed Mohammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Mamnun Rahman also issued a rule on the government to show cause within a month why its failure to protect and help the people affected by the catastrophic and prolonged water-logging in the three upazilas of Jessore should not be declared to be without lawful authority and in violation of its statutory duties.

The government was also asked to explain why it should not be directed to draw up necessary action plans in consultation with the local people and why a directive should not be issued upon it to form a committee composed of the persons nominated by the Supreme Court to permanently solve the problems caused by such a catastrophe and for arranging adequate compensation for the people affected and impoverished by prolonged water-logging.

The directives were issued to, amongst others, chairman of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, deputy commissioner of Jessore, deputy director of the Department of Environment in Khulna and the upazila nirbahi officers of Abhaynagar, Manirampur andï¿½Keshabpur.

The court passed the orders after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust who are seeking appropriate judicial intervention to alleviate the sufferings of the people of 144 villages of the three upazilas of Abhaynagar, Manirampur and Keshabpur in Jessore. Their months of suffering have been caused by prolonged water-logging resulting from the implementation of the faulty Khulna Jessore Drainage Rehabilation Project of the Asian Development Bank and Bangladesh Water Development Board.

The court orders came up at a time when, due to the faulty project, more than one lakh people of the 144 villagers were forced to live an inhuman life with their homesteads, agricultural lands, schools and roads remaining under water since October, 2005.

Although in a meeting, held in November 2005 with the three members of parliament present, it was decided that the situation should be dealt with on an emergency basis, and although the Water Development Board continues to claim that it has submitted yet another project worth Tk 92 crore, the local people are yet to be freed of this unprecedented water-logging that has resulted in unbearable suffering of the villagers who cannot earn a living due to submergence of their agricultural lands, the petitionersï¿½ counsel Hassan Ariff argued before the court.

Local people have demanded removal of the Bhobodoho sluice gate which they believe to be the root of the problem, and have for long been demanding adequate relief and support from the national and local administrations, butto no avail, he contended.

The petition was moved by former attorney-general Hassan Ariff with Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Iqbal Kabir.

Disaster in Bhobodoho, Jessore

2006-11-29T16:13:00.001-08:00

The Video taken by the BRAC Students at Bhobodoho.

2006-11-28T13:06:00.000-08:00

Here is the press release regarding this issue:

-Press Release-

HIGH COURT INTERVENES

IN ADDRESSING WATER LOGGING IN JESSORE

A Writ Petition has been moved today, 13 August, 2006 by BELA seeking appropriate judicial intervention to address the sufferings of the local people of 144 villages of the three Upazilas of Abhaynagar, Manirampur and Keshabpur of Jessore caused by the long standing water logging resulting from the implementation of the faulty Khulna Jessore Drainage Rehabilation Project (KJDRP) of ADB and the BWDB.

The joint petition of BELA and BLAST has been filed at a time when due to the KJDRP more than one lack people of the 144 villagers are forced to live an in human life with their homestead, agricultural lands, academic institutions, road are remaining under water since October, 2005. Although in a meeting held in last November, 2005 with the three members of Parliament present it was decided that the situation shall be dealt with like emergency/war situation, and that the BWDB continues to claim that it has submitted yet another project worth 92 crores taka, the local people are yet to be rescued from this unprecedented water logging that resulted in serious and unbearable sufferings for the villagers who had no agricultural activities and resultantly no economic returns for a long time. Local people have demanded removal of the Bhobodoho sluice gate that they believe to be root of the problem and have for long been pressing for adequate relief and supports from the national and local administration, but of no avail.

Following the motion hearing, a division bench of the High Court comprising Mr. Justice Syed Mohammad Dusthagir Hossain and Mr. Justice Mamnon Rahaman has directed, amongst others, the Chairman, Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Deputy Commissioner of Jessore, the Deputy Director, Department of Environment, Khulna and the Upazilla Nirbahi Officers of Abhaynagar, Manirampur and Keshabpur to provide all such services, products, goods and other supports within their means that are required to ensure that the people of the affected villages of the three Upazillas are safety located and are receiving food, water, medicine and other essentials during such period as the water logging continues.

The Hon’ble Court has further directed the government agencies to show cause within a month as to why their failure to address the catastrophic and prolonged water logging in the three Upazillas of Jessore prevailing for the last few years and failure of the respondents to protect the lives, properties, livelihoods, safety, comfort, health of the villagers from the adverse impact of such unprecedented water congestion should not be declared to be without lawful authority and in violation of their statutory duties. The respondents have also been directed to show cause within four weeks as to why they should not be directed to draw up necessary action plans in consultation with the local people and why a direction should not be issued upon them to form a Committee composed of the persons nominated by the Supreme Court to permanently resolve such catastrophe and arrange for adequate compensation for the local people against the losses resulting from such water logging.

The petition has been moved by BELA and BLAST jointly. One behalf of the petitioners Senior Advocate AFM Hasan Ariff appeared. He was assisted by S. Rizwana Hasan and Iqbal Kabir.

Sent by:

Shahida Akhter Khan, Lawyer, BELA

Jessore Bhobodho Disaster

2006-11-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

The disaster in Bhobodoho, Jessore: It is important to take immediate action to save all the lives that are victim of this man-made disaster. Here is a video of the current situation. Thanks to the student of the BRAC University who took the effort to go there and bring this issue to light.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6jbUi4VTDw

There is an article written by Dr. Zafar Iqbal, too. The link is:

http://www.shuchinta.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/mziSep2706.pdf

IMMEDIATE Action is REQUIRED.