With the rise of water level in rivers Padma, Jamuna, Teesta and Madhumoti, erosion has taken a serious turn in many districts causing untold sufferings of the people living surrounding the river banks. Thousands of such families living around the areas of Tangail, Sirajganj, Shariatpur, Kushtia, Faridpur districts have been rendered homeless with the erosion of many river banks of Padma, Jamuna, Teesta and Madhumoti.
Many houses, educational institutions, business establishments, mosques and crops lands have already been washed away as the overflowing rivers are eroding large areas in the recent heavy downpour. Apart from these, erosion continued to devour roads, playgrounds and graveyards of the affected areas.
On the other hand, erosion continued in many areas of in Tangail and Sirajganj till filing of this report on Sunday. In Tangail, over 30 houses, crops lands, roads and educational institutions have been washed away in Beltia and Garila areas, east of Bangabandhu Bridge of the district.
The local people demanded taking immediate measures to protect their houses, crops land and other establishments from the river erosion. Alamgir Hossain, Engineer, Tangail Water Development Board, told reporters that they have taken various immediate steps and assured the locals of taking necessary steps to protect the vulnerable areas.
In Faridpur, talking to media Enam Hossain Shipon, the UP chairman of Alfadanga upazila, said over two kilometer river basin area was devoured in the river. “Shikhapur government primary school, Darul Islam Dakhil Madrasah, a mosque and a grave yard have already been devoured in river. Besides, a cluster village (Guccha gram) and 65 houses of Asrayan project have also been washed away.
He said that the homeless people of the area are taking shelter on the temporarily makeshift houses. Mizanur Rahman Sarder, another Chairman of Pachuria Union, said the whole south Pachuria village was devoured in the village. “Hundreds of houses, crops lands and bamboo bushes of Char-Naradia village have been devoured in the river. As a result many families of my union have become homeless during the last few days,” he said.
In Barishal, houses, crops lands and other establishments of Guthia union of Uzirpur upazila have also been washed away in the river. Meanwhile, river erosion has taken a serious turn at various places of Shaghata upazila in Gaibandha as the water of the Brahmaputra recedes during the last few days.
In Manikganj, erosion by the Padma River has turned alarming in Harirampur upazila of district. Over two hundred houses have already been lost to Padma’s erosion on the river banks. The river has devoured the whole Saiyadnagar Primary School of Dhulshura union under the upazila. Hundreds of houses and schools in the area are facing .
In Gaibandha, many over eleven government primary schools of three upazilas in the district were devoured by the river of Brahmaputra due to its erosion last month hampering academic activities. The schools are; Haru Danga Public Primary School, Dhulipata Public Primary School, Ketkirhat public. Primary School, Zamira Govt. Primary School and Angaridaha Govt. Primary School under Fulchhari upazila,
The schools also include Chithulia Char Govt. Primary School, Chithulia Dighar Nutunpara Govt. Primary School, Baze Chithulia Govt. Primary School and Moulavir Char Govt. Primary School under Sadar upazila and Uzan Burail Govt. Primary School and Char Purba Lalchamar Govt. Primary School under Sundarganj upazila.
Deputy Minister for Water Resources Enamul Haq Shamim told reporters river erosion in riverine Bangladesh is a common phenomenon as the government has taken project to address the problem effectively. “The government is giving priority to the areas where educational institution, hospitals and places of worships are vulnerable to erosion,” he said