‘Landslides Don’t Happen Here’

Every monsoon season, the issue of risky settlements on hillsides gains temporary media attention. This year, the risk of landslides has emerged as early as the Kalbaishakhi (pre-monsoon) season. Due to continuous rainfall, the Meteorological Department has issued a landslide warning.

However, the administration does not appear particularly concerned, and residents living at the foot of the city's hills remain unbothered despite the incessant rain. Their common refrain: "Landslides won't happen here."

Every meeting of the Hill Management Committee discusses the eviction of illegal settlements and the disconnection of utility services. Yet, these decisions are often buried by "unseen influences." Consequently, low-income individuals continue to reside there, and loss of life from landslides occurs almost every year. On Tuesday morning, the Meteorological Department forecasted heavy rainfall across five divisions, including Chattogram, alongside a formal warning for potential landslides.

Residents, however, are not taking the warning seriously. Consider the Tanki Hill in Lalkhan Bazar on Wednesday afternoon. A Chattogram WASA reservoir holding 8 million liters of water sits at the hilltop. Around its edges, semi-permanent and tin-shed houses have been built into the crevices of the hill. In some spots, multi-story buildings have even been erected by cutting into the slopes.

Mohammad Farooq, a tiles mason, lives in a tin-shed house owned by a Mr. Jafar for a rent of Tk3,000. His son, Mohammad Farhad, was found near the reservoir, soaking in the rain. The teenager said he has been living in the area since childhood, claiming landslides do not occur here. He noted that while they are usually told to evacuate when it rains, no one has come to warn them yet this time.

At a shrine located on top of the hill, four young men expressed similar indifference. They were unaware of the Meteorological Department's warning until told by journalists.

In contrast, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sakhawat Jamil Saikat said, "Our officers have been instructed to warn the residents. Those living at risk in the city and upazilas have been told to move. We hope there will be no landslides or casualties this time. The fact that residents do not want to leave is a major challenge for us."

The Reality of Illegal Hill Settlements

According to official government figures, approximately 7,500 families live at risk across 26 hillocks in the city. However, local sources and the City Corporation think that the actual number is several times higher. Everyone agrees the numbers have surged over the years. For context, the 12th meeting of the Hill Management Committee in 2014 cited only 666 families living illegally. Of the hills involved, 11 are privately owned, while the remaining 15 belong to various government agencies, including Bangladesh Railway, Public Works Department, WASA, and the District Administration, respectively.

On January 2 of last year, during the 30th meeting of the committee, the then-Chief Executive Officer of the City Corporation, Sheikh Muhammad Tauhidul Islam, had said that nearly 10,000 families were living risking their very own lives at Motijharna and Batali Hill areas.

Monir Hossain, President of the Lake-1 Social Welfare Association in Akborshah, claimed that 15,000 families reside in the hills under their association. Another 15,000 live in Lakes 2 and 3, while nearly 10,000 more reside in areas like Zia Nagar, Bijoy Nagar, and Modhyam Nagar.

In 2007, a massive landslide in Chattogram claimed 127 lives. Following the tragedy, an investigation committee made 36 recommendations for hill protection. To date, only a few effective measures have been implemented.