COX'S BAZAR, July 23: Every high tide brings renewed misery to thousands of residents on Kutubdia Island in Cox's Bazar. Even after shutting doors and windows, families cannot keep out the seawater. Saline water rushes through breached coastal embankments, flooding homes within minutes and submerging beds, furniture, kitchens and courtyards.
Although floodwaters recede with the tide, they leave behind a layer of salt that damages cropland, contaminates freshwater ponds and tube-wells, and destroys livelihoods. For many islanders, this has become a harsh and recurring reality.
The worst-affected areas include Purba Tabalchar, Kaharpara and Romaipara under Ali Akbar Deil union, where residents live in constant fear whenever tide rises.
Night-time high tides are particularly distressing, as families often wake up in the dark in desperate attempts to save their homes and belongings, only to watch them succumb to the sea.
According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), around two kilometres of the island's 40-kilometre coastal embankment remain in a vulnerable condition. Repair work is currently underway through contractors appointed under emergency arrangements.
A visit to the affected areas on Tuesday revealed scenes of hardship. Mothers were seen carrying children to safer ground, elderly residents wading through waist-deep water to rescue household belongings, while many families
had raised makeshift cooking stoves on elevated platforms. Others have taken temporary shelter with relatives after their homes became
uninhabitable.
Shamuda Begum, 65, widow of the late Badi Alam from Purba Tabalchar, said her house collapsed during Sunday's high tide.
"I have taken shelter at a neighbour's house. If the embankment is not repaired immediately, we will have nowhere left to live," she said.
Another resident, Abu Toyeb, warned that if the damaged embankment is not repaired before the upcoming full-moon tide, the Baytush Sharaf graveyard in Tabalchar could also be washed away.
Local resident Kawsar Hossain blamed years of inadequate embankment maintenance.
"Temporary repairs may provide short-term relief, but every monsoon and every spring tide we face the same suffering. We need a permanent solution," he said.
Acting chairman of Ali Akbar Deil Union Parishad, Akhtar Kamal Sikder, several villages in the union are experiencing severe hardship because of the damaged embankments.
"We have repeatedly informed the relevant authorities. Unless permanent repairs are undertaken, the extent of damage will continue to increase," he said.
Environmental activist Kaysar Hamid described Kutubdia as one of Bangladesh's most climate-vulnerable coastal areas.
Emergency repairs alone will not solve the problem. A long-term and climate-resilient embankment system must be developed, taking into account coastal dynamics, tidal flows and environmental sustainability. Mangrove afforestation and coastal ecosystem conservation should also be prioritised, he said.
Residents said repeated temporary repairs
have failed to address the underlying problem. They urged the government to construct durable embankments to protect homes, agricultural land and livelihoods from recurring tidal inundation.
Kutubdia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md
Mizanur Rahman said the administration has visited the affected areas several times. Relief and humanitarian assistance are being provided, and they are coordinating with the Water Development
Board to expedite repairs to the damaged embankments.
BWDB Executive Engineer in Cox's Bazar, Nurul Islam, said emergency repairs are currently being carried out under 15 separate work packages.
The emergency work is expected to be completed within a month to provide temporary protection from tidal flooding.
"A permanent solution requires approval of a comprehensive project. We have already submitted the proposal to the ministry, and once it receives approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), construction of a permanent embankment can begin," he said.
He added that authorities are currently prioritising repairs at the most vulnerable locations under the emergency programme.
Member of Parliament for the Kutubdia-Maheshkhali constituency, Almgir Mohammad Mahfuz Ullah Farid, said ensuring the safety of Kutubdia residents remains a top priority.
"We are maintaining regular communication with the relevant ministry and the Bangladesh Water Development Board to expedite permanent embankment construction. Repair work is already underway at 10 vulnerable points, and efforts are being made to secure funding for five newly identified high-risk locations so that work can begin as soon as possible," he said.
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