Washed away

The fears are not unfounded -- the heavy rains we have been seeing may push the country to a flood situation as damaging as the historic 1988 flood. With water levels steadily rising, we may very well be, once again, faced with an unmanageable humanitarian catastrophe. Bangladesh has always been a flood-prone country, but we are still ill-equipped to deal with heavy rainfall -- countless people across the country find themselves stranded, with their crops damaged, their livelihoods threatened. It is time for the government to step up its efforts -- the last thing we need is a food crisis, and our food reserves right now are dangerously low. The nation faces a daunting challenge on many fronts, but we have no choice but to prepare.