Riverbank erosion has intensified in at least four districts of Bangladesh. The Jamuna at Shahjadpur in Sirajganj, the Padma at Zajira in Shariatpur, the Mrigi at Nakla in Sherpur and the Madhumati at Madhukhali in Faridpur are washing away homesteads, cropland and buildings, the daily Amar Desh reports from its district correspondents.
The worst damage is in Sonatani union of Shahjadpur. In the past year three to four hundred houses in Dhitpur, Barpakhia and Kursi have been lost to the river; in Dhitpur and Kursi alone more than two hundred houses went along with three mosques, a madrasa and two primary schools. Locals say about 3,000 bighas of cultivated land have gone into the Jamuna, and Barpakhia village has disappeared entirely. Fahima Begum, 60, has lost her home ten times and now lives on someone else's land, which is also under threat. A vegetable trader, Abu Shama, says his business closed when the market went into the river, and children whose school was lost now study in a madrasa's tin shed.
Md Mokhlesur Rahman, executive engineer of the Water Development Board in Sirajganj, said no erosion-control project is running in Sonatani because it is a char area, but a char development project is being processed that would make protection possible. Shahjadpur's upazila nirbahi officer, Sabrina Sarmin, said affected families are getting relief and rehabilitation is being considered.
At Alamkhar Kandi in East Naodoba union of Zajira, Shariatpur, the whole homestead of Zulhas Khan, who works in Malaysia, collapsed into the Padma on Monday afternoon. Milton Hossain, executive engineer of the Water Development Board in Shariatpur, said steps would be taken on the instructions of senior officials.
In Char Madhua Namapara and Daripara of Chandrakona union in Nakla, Sherpur, the Mrigi has for a long time been taking homesteads, cropland, bamboo groves and trees. The only dirt road out has also collapsed, leaving a community of about 1,500 people largely cut off. Nakla's upazila nirbahi officer, Jahangir Alam, said 30 to 40 houses have been lost this year and the water resources ministry has been asked in writing to stop the erosion.
In Kamarkhali union of Madhukhali, Faridpur, eight to ten villages along the Madhumati face erosion, and more than a hundred homesteads in Char Gayeshpur, Baksipur, Char Pukuria, Bahulbaria and Char Bahulbaria have gone into the river. Residents complain that there is no rehabilitation or erosion control. Madhukhali's upazila nirbahi officer, Masudur Rahman, said food has been given to about 250 waterlogged and erosion-hit families and the help will continue.
The report was filed by Amar Desh's correspondents in Raiganj and Shahjadpur, Shariatpur, Nalitabari and Madhukhali.
Source: Amar Desh
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