Make more Attention of Sandwip Well-being

One body after the other was bursting from the bay. The people mourn in the ghats, mourning and lamenting, praying for the return of the missing, living or dead. Sandwip people are shocked and heated on 02 April 2017 Red Boat Tragedy.

Sandwip is an island along the southeastern coast of Bangladesh in the Chittagong District. It is at the estuary of the Meghna River on the Bay of Bengal and separated from the Chittagong coast by Sandwip Channel. It has a population of nearly 400,000. There are fourteen unions, 62 mahallas and 34 villages on Sandwip Island. The island is 50 kilometres long and 5-15 kilometres wide. It is at the north-east side of the Bay of Bengal, near the main port city of Chittagong. It is bounded by Companiganj on the north, Bay of Bengal on the south, Sitakunda and Mirsharai, and Sandwip Channel on the east, Noakhali Sadar, Hatiya and Meghna estuary on the west.

Sunset view of Sandwip

There are several theories about the origin of the name Sandwip (pronounced Shondip) among the locals. Some say that 12 Awlia's (preacher) from Baghdad travelling to Chittagong discovered this island in the middle of the sea and found no people, so they defined it as "Shunno Dip" and which eventually became "Shondip". Sandwip Island in Bangladesh has a great historical legacy. The island itself is about 3000 years old and it has been ruled by many different people over the centuries. It is supposed that Sandwip was connected with Chittagong original land and disconnected by the natural disaster.

Due to geographical location, Sandwip is natural disaster prone areas. In the years 1825, 1876, 1985, 1991 Sandwip was affected by devastating cyclones and tornadoes. On 29 April 1991, the most damaging storm affected the island. The death toll was about 40,000, and 80% of the houses in Sandwip were destroyed. For its remote location of mainland many time, man induced disasters are affected Sandwip people and take of valued life. Sandwip is detached from the mainland of Bangladesh and waterway is the single route to go Sandwip. This route is becoming more terrific at summer season mainly March- September. But anytime any moment it can terrifying not forecasting of the behave of Sandwip-Chittagong route. Sandwip people is crossing the channel through BIWTA Steamer, Private Speed Boat and Fish/Goods traler. In summer season or catastrophic period, all waterways are stoppage on this route. 

Red Boat which carrying passenger from vessel to mainland.

Though as an estuary of Meghna, there is a strong current of water, heavy wave and low velocity of air can make a strong rolling in channel water. In local people are said it rolling. In like manner to cope this physical situation there is no timely communication system is not developed yet. There is the only ghat at Sandwip Guptachara which is merely pull down. And they catchment of the channel is filled with sediment. As a result, the vessel cannot reach the shallower waters near the landings and passengers are carried across to the shore on small boats known as ‘red boats’ for their distinct colour. The condition of the red boat is not well and not maintained safety compliance. For instance, many time it carries over passengers, has not life jacket and rescued materials. And the driver and assistance of this boat are not trained up. These loopholes are sometimes creating dangerous and call for death to innocent people of Sandwip. That a tragedy has happened on 02 April 2017. The boat carrying around 40 persons sank near Ghuptachara Ghat on Sunday night due to rough weather and heavy tidal waves. Some 26 passengers managed to swim ashore or were rescued by locals, police said and rests of them were missing in eternally (18 dead). The dead guys were the teacher, student, the local businessman and community people. Especially, Tahsin (09) and Nova (05) were students of Mastermind Ideal School in the City’s Halishahar, Chittagong. They went to Sandwip to attend their uncle’s marriage ceremony. They never return to their schools. The cruel channel snatches of the innocent lives. Families of the deceased have been given compensation by the Chittagong District Administration. Meanwhile, Chittagong district administration has formed a seven-member probe committee, led by the Sandwip UNO, to investigate the incident. As can be seen, the probe committee may find out the reason of accident, in many cases, deceased families were received compensation. But it is fact that the valued lived never be return. Every life is important to her/his family. And this gap is never filling in any way. As my deem, we can stop the race to death. If we make aware and have taken some initiative such as; bound to use life jacket to all passengers, don’t carry over passengers at the red boat, provide training to red boat drivers. On another way, the government should be taken some long effective infrastructural development, for instance, the long jetty in both sides of Sandwip channel, construct floating bridge or jetty, excavation of Sandwip channel, maintenance the existing ghat, introduce modern water ways. To point out that strong the monitoring system of Sandwip channel. When the sea is unrest and heavy waves then stop to channel crossing, Competency build up of Bangladesh Coast Guard for the quick rescue, a patrol camp of Nou Police should establish on both sides of Sandwip channel. Also, make consultation meeting with Sandwip People for their betterment.

Moreover, the government has collected huge revenue from Sandwip Ghat, also a large portion of Sandwip people are living in different parts of the world and sending remittance. Most of the expatriates are shared that they will assist government on building a bridge in over Sandwip channel. About 5 lack people are deprived of modern facility as well as civic rights and constitutional rights. Till now there is no modern treatment facility, insufficient sanitation facility, insufficient pure drinking water facility, lack of higher and modern education facility, scarcity of electricity, lack of legal service facility, inequality, no job facility and no recreation facility. I visited twice more in Sandwip for my job purposes. I have felt life is very hard there. Living cost is also high but rather income opportunity. Full Sandwip is cover dark after 10 PM and electricity come at 5 to 6 PM. So in total twenty-four hours electricity has only 3 to 4 hours. In that periods also have load shedding. For maintaining official task an official has to start work at afternoon. In a sense, life is so hard in compare with the mainland of Bangladesh. But now solar power being popular at large scale. The second largest solar panel of Bangladesh is situated there. This is trying to cover the need of electricity at Sandwip. Identically, there is a huge opportunity at Sandwip and has a great historical legacy. Being an island, people here tend to seek opportunities outside Chittagong, Dhaka and sometimes overseas. People of Sandwip working overseas are contributing to the country’s economy by sending large quantities of remittance back home. One of the nice things about Sandwip Island in Bangladesh is that it has been formed by silt deposits from the Meghna river. This makes it an incredibly fertile island. Large crops of rice, dal, vegetables, coconuts, battle leave and wheat have all has been grown on the island. Incredible sea beach are there may develop a satellite tourist spot, Sandwip has also gained a reputation for being a premier ship manufacturer which can start again. There also emerging large new islands on the western part of Sandwip which creates another opportunity for Bangladesh. So, Sandwip contributing the national development of Bangladesh and enriching the socio-cultural heritage of Bangladesh. So why not make more attention of Sandwip well-being.  


Source:
- www.bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/04/05/death-toll-in-sandwip-boat-capsize-rises-to-17
- www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2017/04/05/sandwip-capsize-death-toll/
- www. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwip_Upazila