Some 50 families of Bandura Union under Nawabganj of Dhaka are on the threat to be rendered homeless as the water of the river Padma increased abnormally devouring large areas on both sides of Hazratpur, Sadapur and Syedpur canals.
Local people complained, the Padma was devouring innumerous houses with fertile land for last several years. But, the officials of Water Development Board did not take measure to check erosion of the canals which emerged from Dohar point of river Padma and connected with Icchamoti river through Hazratpur and Syedpur via Joypara.
People living at the sites informed, due to sudden increase in water of the river Padma, residents living beside the canals of Hazratpur and Syedpur areas were spending sleepless nights fearing erosion of their houses. They were learnt to guard their houses and domestic animals by awakening at night apprehending that their houses and surrounding lands would be devoured by the strong current of the canals any time causing casualties.
According to sources, at least five homesteads including trees and land beside the canals have been devoured by erosion. By losing their houses, family members of those houses were spending their days and nights under open sky. They did not even get any government relief so far, complained the affected family members.
Affected Rubi Begum said her house was devoured by the canal water but no one has so far came to distribute any relief to her.
Ruma Dewan of Hazratpur informed she has no husband and she used to live on her one roomed house with several decimals of land but those all were washed away by turbulent water. She said, erosion at the villages was continuing for last four-year but local administration remained indifferent to taking any measure to check erosion.
HM Salauddin Monju, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Nawabganj informed, officials of Water Development Board have visited the canal sites recently and assured to take measure to check erosion as soon as possible. He said upazila administration was also aware of the erosion affected areas and was regularly in contact with the concerned departments receiving latest information of the erosion prone sites.
