In the short report the viewer witnesses a chronic, historic hazard in Bangladesh. Simon Reeves hears how the river in question had eaten up 500 yards into a village over the past fortnight. I imagine that the events are quite recent, because as the rivers fill from their dry season states, erosion resumes. Its impacts are felt deeply by those displaced (often multiply), and for generations. They include: the disintegrating of local society, political marginalisation/exploitation of the populace, insecurity, loss of land, home and livelihood.
The Muhajers are so many and the Ansars are so few.
Social-environmental relations for the people of places like Bangladesh are not a post-materialist lifestyle choice. Switching off your lights does not enable/assist/remediate the conditions and capabilities of the impacted. If the predictions are accurate, Climate Change impacts will further increase the numbers of environmental refugees. The river-erosion scenario gives us a glimpse into continual community displacement prompted by removal of land from the national living room.
So what can we do?
- Articulate well honed dua wishlists.
- Visit the Erosion Zones when in desh.
- Give displacees a 'break' when you meet them.
- Distribute sadaqa and zakat that way.
- Invest in local light industry.
- Support local educational and religious institutions.
- Help to shift livelihoods away from a land base.
- Rehabilitate the Bangladesh Water Development Board.
- Enable local talents to intellectually and practically range against the problem, with majesty, maths, measurements, models, morals and mojo.
- Disable the useless NGOs and find more gainful employment for affected graduates.
- Discourage 'elite depletion', from erosion zones and national scientific institutions.
- Take measures to restore the dignity of those already impacted.
- Annihilate those politicians who will use the scenario to consolidate their begging bowl features.
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