Bangladesh’s New Bang

November 12, 1970, what would become one of the worst natural disaster ever registered, the Bhola Cyclone hits the lowlands of East Pakistan with a 185 km/h, killing approximately 300,000-500,000 people overnight. Already politically and economically neglected by West Pakistan, this disaster also washed away the connection between both Pakistans, and soon gave birth to the state of Bangladesh. The blessing and curse of Bangladesh is its fertile soil provided by no less than 58 trans-boundary rivers. This makes it technically and politically complicated to take the necessary precautions to prevent another disaster of the same scale. It’s believed that about half of the land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by 1 m. And with ‘rise’ is meant: going up ‘slowly’. It suggests there would be time to get away. With the word ‘global warming’ on our lips, I fear it’s more likely it will be a cyclone again that will test the few precautions taken so far. Or that we have to organise another benefit concert... Image by Photobucket/I_Am_The_Walrus12