The New Nation - Internet Edition

Latif Masud from Canada

Cyclones in Bangladesh are large areas of low atmospheric pressure, characterized by inward-spiraling winds, which occur in the Indian Ocean. These pressure systems are known as typhoons in the Pacific Ocean, and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. Every year these storms create chaos and destruction all over the world, but some areas are more prevalent than others. Cyclones are generally formed near the equator where the sun heats the air; it becomes hot and light and therefore goes up. As a result, cold air from the surroundings rushes there to fill up the gap. As the Earth is rotating on its axis, the cool air cannot fill up the gap, and instead the cool air collides with the warm air, and causes thunderstorms. Eventually, the system begins to move in a counter-clockwise fashion, and develops an "eye", which is an area of extreme low pressure. The eye of the cyclone causes a lot of damage when the cyclone hits land because the area of low pressure in the eye causes water to bulge up (known as a storm surge). Cyclones tend to strike different areas at different times of the year, and it is dependent on the temperature and wind formations.

Bangladesh is one of those countries that often hit by strong tropical storms and cyclones. It is a densely populated country having about 150 million people on an area of about 144,000 sq. km. It is a country that is very unique because it sits atop the world's largest river deltas formed by the cross-sections of Padma (Ganges), Jamuna (Brahmaputra) and Meghna. The country's geographical attributes are better put by the words of Charles E. Cobb of National Geographic who said in his report, "Bangladesh is a country that floats". Because of its location, Bangladesh is well known for its fertile land, and seasons. In fact, Bangladesh is the only country in the world that has six distinct seasons, and they are summer, monsoon, autumn, late autumn, winter, and spring. Bangladesh has another distinct property, which is its prevalence to cyclones. Natural calamities like flood, draught, river erosion, cyclone etc. are common phenomenon here.

During last 125 years cyclone hit Bangladesh coast more than 80 times. The most sever one that hit southern part of Bangladesh on 12 November 1970 is 'Gorki', when more than 1.2 million people died, which is 3 times more than the total death in all the cyclones hit during last 100 years. Noakhali district was the most affected, where more than 300,000 people died. On 24th October, there was warning signal 10, but nothing had happened. On 12th November it was only signal 4. Both the government and the common people had no preparation for the cyclone. It was then Pakistan. On 13th morning the local administration of different districts came to their office, as if nothing has happened. People from the affected areas started coming with the message of unbelievable casualties and unprecedented devastation. The local administration, government agencies, social activists, voluntary organizations started moving to the affected areas and found a horrible scene. Roads, embankments, trees, standing crops, domestic houses washed away, dead bodies and dead cattle were seen everywhere. Burring dead bodies has become the main concern. Initially, the rescue workers started carrying dead bodies to grave for burial. But it was impossible. So, they decided to burry without observing any religious formality. It took more than 15 days to complete this task.

After 1970, there were some sever cyclones. In 1976 about 200,000 people died in Bakergonj, Barishal and Patuakhali. In 1985, about 11,000 people died in Noakhali. In 1991 about 140,000 people died in Chittagong, in 1997 138,000 people died in the south of Barishal. Recent devastating cyclone SIDR hit Bangladesh on 15 November causing death of 3500 lives, made 200,000 people homeless. About 3.2 million people of 30 districts are affected. 2.0 million cattle and animal died. According to government source, the total loss is about US$1,500 million. The expert's feelings are more than that. The Metrological department hoisted warning signal 10. In the evening, Chief Advisor along with other Advisors and senior officials hold meeting to face the situation. Government and army did their best to shift people to safe places. Some people followed government advice, but many could not, due to lack of shelter in the nearby. There are people, who could not trust on government advice as because, two weeks back, there was similar warning signal, many people shifted to safe places, ultimately nothing happened. This is due to lack of awareness of the common people and lack of people's involvement in the process of digester management. Government left no stone unturned to redress the sufferings of the people. As a result, the death toll is much less in comparison to the sever ness of the cyclone. This year, the wind speed was 220 km/hr. and the speed in 1970 was 222. But the damage was much less compare to sever ness. It is only because, the country is independent and the state leaders are patriot. The whole government machineries worked round the clock to stop further sufferings of the cyclone victims. The donor community, the rich and even the low income people came forward to help the victims. The saddest story is that, in 1970 no central leader visited the affected people. In short, the victims are getting relief from different corners to meet their immediate need. Now, it is necessary to think of long term solution. Cyclone shelter may be the best option to reduce death of both man and animal.

Cyclones generally strike Bangladesh between April and December. Further, the worst cyclones tend to strike between the months of May and November because of the monsoon winds. The monsoons are seasonal prevailing winds that create constant low pressure system over South Asia, which causes heavy downpour in both Bangladesh and South Asia. The effects of the monsoon is intensified more by the Himalayas, which block the low pressure systems in the region for an extended periods of time, which causes not only more rainfall, but also higher chances for strong cyclonic activity, but there are other factors that lead to cyclones intensification in Bangladesh.

There are many different things that could cause cyclones to intensify, but three major factors that cause cyclones to intensify are high temperatures, strong winds and large bodies of water. Temperature is a key factor for cyclone intensification and usually sea surface temperature (SST) of 26 °C is considered to be favorable for cyclonic activity and the Bay of Bengal, which borders the southern coast of Bangladesh, has a sea surface temperature of 31° Celsius. Also, as stated before, during the months of the North Indian cyclone season, the monsoons strike Bangladesh. Further, the Bay of Bengal is one of the largest bay in the world and with SST of 31°, it can act as the producer to extremely strong cyclones. Lastly, There are also many other factors that are specifically related to the area that cause the cyclones to intensify.

Other than the key factors of temperature, strong winds, and large bodies of water, Bangladesh and its surroundings have specific geographical properties that tend help cyclones do more damage to the area. One of the factors is that the Bay of Bengal has a funnel-like shaped, which causes the majority of cyclones to head towards Bangladesh's way as soon as it enters the steaming waters of the Bay of Bengal. Furthermore, Bangladesh is a low lying area, where most of the land is about 153cm above sea level, so even more damage is done when a cyclone make landfall in the area. Bangladesh has a very wide coastline, which is 580 km and this factor further exposes Bangladesh to the paths of cyclones. Many of these factors played a major role in the formation and the intensification of cyclone.

Due to geographical location, Bangladesh can not avoid or control cyclone. The people of Bangladesh are to live with cyclone. But it should be well managed to redress sufferings of the people and minimize casualties and damage. The first thing is mass awareness. It is the people, who are to play key role and not the government. They should be well organized in CBOs and trained to face the situation. Information dissemination is important. Metrological infrastructures are to be upgraded, so that they can collect more correct information and communicate timely. Adequate numbers of cyclone shelters are to be constructed with necessary equipments and emergency medicine.

Md. Kamruzzaman Ferose

While there is no consensus on the exact definition of "terrorism", the word is typically used to describe ideologically motivated acts of violence with the intention to intimidate governments or civilians. Acts supposedly meeting these criteria and committed in the name of environmental causes are described as "eco-terrorism" by law enforcement agencies such as the FBI. Another term that is sometimes used is "eco-sabotage" (also "ecotage" and "monkeywrenching"), because it involves disruption of a business or governmental operation, but is directed against things, property or machines. Eco-terrorism is distinct from "environmental terrorism", which conducted for the sake of ecological, environmental, or animal rights causes for political or military objectives. Chalecki distinguishes between environmental terrorism and eco-terrorism. She notes that environmental terrorism can be defined "as the unlawful use of force against in situ environmental resources so as to deprive populations of their benefit(s) and/or destroy other property". In contrast, eco-terrorism is the violent destruction of property in the interest of saving the environment from human encroachment and destruction (San Francisco Chronicle, July, 2001). More concisely, environmental terrorism involves targeting natural resources. Eco-terrorism involves targeting the built environment such as roads, buildings and trucks, ostensibly in defense of natural resources.

The word is a neologism and its applicability is contested. The term is controversial among environmentalists, animal-rights activists and others, who see it as a propaganda term devised by law-enforcement to criminalise or marginalise their protests. Paul Watson, the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, has presented his own definition of the word in a commentary criticising Japanese whalers: "an act that terrorizes other species and threatens the ecological systems of the planet".

Eco-terrorism is defined by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation's Domestic Terrorism Section as "the use or threatened use of violence of a criminal nature against innocent victims or property by an environmentally-oriented, sub national group for environmental-political reasons, or aimed at an audience beyond the target, often of a symbolic nature." In USA, Damage caused by environmentalist sabotage from 1980 to 1999 is estimated to have amounted to $42.8 million. Since 2003 the FBI has attributed "eco-terrorists" with 200 million dollars in property damage.

Environmentalists have argued that "eco-terrorism" should mean the opposite of its current accepted meaning. They say that persons, companies and governments engaging in ecologically irresponsible activities such as clearcutting of forests are committing "terrorism" against the environment.

This counter-definition is also sometimes used rhetorically to express the environmentalist point of view, or to justify their actions. Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki, for instance, has described the former Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, as an "eco-terrorist" for failing to abide by the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

In the world, eco-terrorists have already committed many incidents/acts of violence. For example, In February, 2001, SHAC activist David Blenkinsop and two other masked assailants severely beat HLS's managing director Brian Cass with bats in England; a passer-by who interceded was sprayed in the face with tear gas. Kevin Kjonaas responded to the incident by saying, "I don't shed any tears for Brian Cass. He is responsible for 500 animals agonising and dying every day at Huntingdon."

March 2005: Peter Daniel Young, an animal rights activist wanted for allegedly releasing thousand of animals from Wisconsin fur farms in 1997, was arrested in California.

Young, 27, had been a fugitive for over seven years when he was arrested in San Jose for shoplifting at a Starbucks. Authorities say Young broke into three Wisconsin fur farms, releasing thousands of animals and causing more than $200,000 in damages. The Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the releases.

March 2005: Justus A. Ireland was sentenced to seven years in federal prison. He earlier pleaded guilty to starting a fire at a lumberyard in West Jordan, Utah, in June 2004. The arson caused $1.5 million in damage, destroying a building and some forklifts. Ireland sent a fax to news media claiming responsibility on behalf of the Earth Liberation Front.

Terrorism in the name of animal and environmental protection has steadily increased during the past decade in the many develop countries.

Automobile dealerships, forestry companies, corporate and university-based medical research laboratories, restaurants, medical-supply firms, fur farms and other industries continue to be targeted. Although no one has yet been injured in a domestic eco-terror attack, the increasingly violent nature of attacks suggest that someone will be hurt before long.

Despite a few successes by law enforcement in capturing those responsible for eco-terror-related crimes, most acts remain unsolved. Eco-terror cells remain extremely difficult to identify and infiltrate. Eco-terrorists have been difficult to apprehend, because they often operate anonymously in small cells. However, during the past few years law enforcement authorities have made a number of significant arrests and several eco-terrorists have been charged for their criminal activity and sentenced to prison terms. So, National and International cooperation in the investigation of eco-terrorism and consistent enforcement policies in all countries are necessary to combat eco-terrorist activities effectively.

(Md. Kamruzzaman Ferose is a final year student Department of Criminology and Police Science, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, E-mail: ferose_cps@yahoo.com)