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A Dhaka-based research organisation Thursday described flood-damage assessment by the government and the United Nations “exaggeration of information” and claimed that the month-long deluge had caused a stock damage of Tk 11,418.6 crore ($1.9 billion).

“Lack of professionalism rather than any political consideration is behind such exaggeration,” said Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, as he launched the centre’s rapid assessment report for flood 2004.

The report, which does not take into consideration ‘flow damages’ at the individual level, says both the government and the aid agencies are on the high side in their estimation of flood damage.

Debapriya said the initial government stand on not seeking external assistance was positive as the government had sufficient resources for emergency flood relief operations.

“The government’s confidence was perhaps bolstered as the 2004 budget had a relatively large sum of allocation –– around Tk 250 crore –– in various heads such as block allocation, repair, maintenance, etc which could be diverted for relief and rehabilitation.”

The report takes into account physical damages agriculture, infrastructure, industry, education and health sectors for the post-flood rehabilitation programme, he said.

“The damages caused by the flood amount to 3.4 per cent of the total gross domestic product whereas the damages in the 1998 flood were 4.7 per cent of the GDP.”

The private sector bears two-thirds of the flood damage, Debapriya said.

In terms of total damage, he said, the flood this year appears to be more devastating than the one in 1998.

About relief operation, the CPD analysis reveals that the highest per capita (affected) amount of relief (Tk 28.13) was distributed to low flood-affected districts, while the lowest per capita relief (Tk 17.94) was distributed to severe flood-affected districts.

The report also says per-capita allocation in the low flood-affected Lakshmipur was Tk 628.09 and the moderate flood-affected Gazipur was Tk 7.60.

It recommends that location-specific flood warning system should be developed to give people adequate time for evacuation.