If anyone wants to see how man has challenegd nature and getting away, they should visit South-western Bangladesh, especially the polders near Sundar Bon (Beautiful Forest). During the 60's and 70's, what was then East Pakistan, with the help of Americans built 4000 km of embankment, comprising 92 polders, along the coast of Bay of Bengal. These structures are supporting a poulation density of 900 people per sq km. In comparison, Sri Lanka has a population density of 300, and it is considered crowded. The polders have kept sea water intrusion away, depite tidal movement of rivers, up to 5 m up and down, twice a day.
I was fortunate to be there in March, well ahead of monsoons, and well after monsoons. I am told that that the whole area is under water from August till October, houses kept well above water on pillars. When I visited, everything looked luscious and green. Beautifully laid rice bays intermimgled with ghers where freshwater fish and shrimp were grown.
To my surprise, the school children looked healthy, and happy, on their way to and from school.
I was warned, that in a few months, another cyclone may come, destroy everything, often just before harvest. BUT, I am also told, that people will stay back and rebuild.
It was all big pleasant surprise to me, a person, who folllowed the independence war of Bangladesh very closely, and always felt sorry for a nation, which does not need my sympathies.
Way to go Bangladesh!
I was fortunate to be there in March, well ahead of monsoons, and well after monsoons. I am told that that the whole area is under water from August till October, houses kept well above water on pillars. When I visited, everything looked luscious and green. Beautifully laid rice bays intermimgled with ghers where freshwater fish and shrimp were grown.
To my surprise, the school children looked healthy, and happy, on their way to and from school.
I was warned, that in a few months, another cyclone may come, destroy everything, often just before harvest. BUT, I am also told, that people will stay back and rebuild.
It was all big pleasant surprise to me, a person, who folllowed the independence war of Bangladesh very closely, and always felt sorry for a nation, which does not need my sympathies.
Way to go Bangladesh!
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