1m still at risk

Every monsoon, heavy rainfall once again raises fears of landslides across Chattogram’s vulnerable hills, reviving concerns over the safety of thousands of residents living in high-risk areas.

Nineteen years after the devastating 2007 landslide that claimed 127 lives, concerns remain over the pace of risk reduction, enforcement and rehabilitation efforts, with officials still lacking updated information on the number of people living on hazardous hillsides.

According to government estimates, nearly one million people may currently be living on or around 30 vulnerable hills across the city.

However, the District Administration has not updated its census of hillside residents for the past three years, prompting questions over the accuracy of official data used for disaster preparedness and emergency response.

Meanwhie, a 12-year-old girl, Sumaiya, died after being trapped in a landslide at Chashma Pahar in the Panchlaish area of Chattogram on Wednesday.

Fire Service personnel recovered her body during a rescue operation at around 1:00 pm. She was the daughter of local resident Faruk Hossain.

Shah Imran, Deputy Assistant Director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence Zone-4, said a rescue team was dispatched immediately after receiving reports of the landslide.

According to the Fire Service, Sumaiya’s parents, who were inside the house when the incident occurred, managed to escape safely. However, Sumaiya, who was in an adjacent room, was trapped beneath the debris. She was later recovered dead from the scene.

However, the absence of updated records has also exposed significant discrepancies among government agencies.

While the District Administration estimates that 6,558 families live in landslide-prone areas, the Department of Environment (DoE) says nearly one million people remain at risk across the city’s vulnerable hills.

The difference in official estimates has highlighted concerns over institutional coordination and the availability of reliable data for disaster management and long-term planning.

The Akbar Shah Police Station area, particularly the settlements surrounding Foy’s Lake, remains the city’s most vulnerable zone. Official data show that 4,476 families—around 68 per cent of all officially identified at-risk households—live in this area.

Settlements stretching from Moti Jharna to Jungle Salimpur have expanded over the years, with many informal homes built on unstable hill slopes despite repeated warnings from authorities.

During periods of heavy rainfall, the administration regularly urges residents through loudspeaker announcements to move to designated emergency shelters. Disaster management experts, however, say early warning systems alone cannot eliminate the underlying risks unless accompanied by effective enforcement, relocation and long-term rehabilitation measures.

Observers say the concentration of nearly 68 per cent of officially recognised vulnerable families in the Akbar Shah-Foy’s Lake area underscores the need for targeted interventions before the peak monsoon season.

Illegal occupation of hills continues to be one of the major challenges facing authorities. The city’s hills fall under multiple government agencies as well as private ownership, creating overlapping jurisdiction and complicating enforcement efforts.

Officials and environmental activists have long alleged that eviction drives often lose momentum due to political influence, weak enforcement and the reoccupation of cleared land.

They say informal settlements frequently re-emerge after eviction operations, leaving vulnerable families exposed to recurring landslide risks.

Against this backdrop, the Hill Management Committee is scheduled to hold its 32nd meeting on 13 July to review the latest situation and ongoing mitigation measures.

Officials familiar with the committee’s activities acknowledge that many recommendations adopted at previous meetings remain only partially implemented, raising concerns over the effectiveness of follow-up actions.

Disaster management specialists and environmental campaigners have called for a comprehensive update of the census of hillside residents, stronger enforcement against illegal hill occupation, action against organised encroachment, and a sustainable rehabilitation programme for families living in high-risk areas.

They warn that unless these long-standing governance gaps are addressed, extreme rainfall during the monsoon will continue to pose a serious threat to lives and property across Chattogram’s vulnerable hills.