Flood shelters/Centers in Kurigram

Shelter means protection during period of crisis. The people of Bangladesh, a country prone to natural disasters, are familiar with the ‘Cyclone Shelter’. But the concept of flood shelter is relatively new. Traditionally, embankments are most commonly used as shelters during floods. Considering the geography of the country and the amount of floodwater that passes through it during the monsoon period, it may easily be seen that building embankments are not feasible in many areas of the country. In those areas flood shelter may be a very effective tool for coping with flood. In some of the areas of the country the local people have already established flood shelters. Flood shelter is a form of evasive action. These shelters may provide the victims of flood with place to survive during flood and get rehabilitated afterwards. The shelters can also be used as the nucleus of relief and rehabilitation activities in a broader perspective. During periods other than flood, the shelters may be used as schools, community centers, health centers etc. To investigate the effectiveness of flood shelters, a survey was conducted in Kurigram district, one of the worst hit areas of the country during the flood of 1998. This area was selected because flood shelters, constructed by the local people and administration, existed here for more than 20 years. Most of the people mentioned that the shelters were of great help to them. The people provided some suggestions to improve the condition and usability of the shelters, which include improvement of toilet facility and separate arrangement for the women. From the results of the study it is evident that the shelters can play a significant role in the survival and rehabilitation of the flood affected people. The study can further be extended to incorporate technical specifications regarding the design and construction guidelines on ground elevation, structure type and layout of the flood shelters. In Kurigram District about 361 shelters are reported by the concerned DRO office these are presented in different Upazilas in Kurigram District.