erosion
Dreams crumble to dust as erosion sweeps away homes
Not only the Teesta, but the Gangadhar river has also turned turbulent in Kurigram.
Over the past few weeks, the raging river has swallowed large swathes of land in Nageshwari, rendering several families homeless. Jalepara, Ramdatta and Raghurvita villages are the worst affected.
This monsoon season alone, 50 families have lost their homes and livelihoods due to land erosion by the Gangadhar river.
Read Fight the Flood: Safety measures to take before, during, after floods in Bangladesh
Every year, the river is swollen by seasonal rains and the erosion mainly takes place after the water from the monsoon subsides and the brittle soil on the banks collapses.
Despite the erosion eating into the village roads and farm lands, local residents claim, no effective measures have been taken by the authorities yet, and they now live under the fear of losing their lives too.
Many homeless people have now taken shelter at Raghurvita Government Primary School. Chandra and Bhanuram Biswas of Jalepara are among the unfortunate ones.
Read: Teesta turns turbulent in Kurigram; leaves 100 families homeless
"Every time, the river swallows our homes, we are forced to start from the beginning. This time, we have lost everything -- house, belongings and some money we had saved for the rainy day," the duo said.
Kaledanga Jame Mosque, Ramdatta Jame Mosque, Ramdatta Mahila Hafeza Madrasa, Krishnapur Nurani Hafezia Madrasa, and the only paved road in Krishnapur now stand threatened by the Gangadhar.
Akmal Hossain, a public representative, told UNB that the Water Development Board didn't take any visible steps this monsoon to prevent the problem that has been prevailing for years now.
Read: Floods, landslides hit Rohingya camps hard: UNHCR
Officials of the Water Development Board, however, said that a project for protecting the riverbank from erosion has already been sent to the higher authorities for approval.
"The proposal was sent to the headquarters two years ago, but we are still waiting for an approval. We need a permanent solution to the problem. Temporary steps won’t be effective unless an embankment is constructed,” said sub-divisional engineer Omar Faruk Md Mokhtar Hossain.
Meghna erosion devours lands and displaces thousands in Lakshmipur
Meghna River that has featured in films, poems and folklores has now turned into a curse for villagers living along it.
In the last 10 years the river has swallowed croplands, houses, school buildings leaving thousands homeless. It has eroded its banks by its strong tide. The onslaught goes on unabated both during the dry season and the monsoon.
Around 170 sq km area in Ramgati and Kamalnagar upazilas of Lakshmipur in the last 10 years as erosion by the river continues, according to data derived by reviewing and analysing government documents and interviewing the residents in these areas.
Read Tagore’s historic Kuthibari is threatened by river erosion, locals scream for help
Last Monday, Char Balua Government Primary School building in Ramgati upazila collapsed into the riverbed within seconds, a sad portrayal of the helplessness of people in these areas to river erosion.
According to the survivors of the Meghna erosion on the Laxmipur coast, the severity of it has been three times more in the last 10 years compared to any time in the past.
Lakhs of people had lost their land to Meghna and became homeless during this time.
Read Climate migration in Bangladesh may increase 7-fold by 2050: ActionAid
In addition to the erosion, abnormal tidal water has been inundating localities and inhabited land , adding to the miseries of the residents.
Riverbank erosion leaves Gashial residents on the edge
In the remote Gashial mouja of Magura district, riverbank erosion along the Garai is a frequent affair.
Every monsoon, residents of the mouja see the ground literally disappear into the raging Garai. And over the past couple of years, the erosion has washed away several houses in the area, rendering hundreds homeless.
The residents allege that local authorities have never paid heed to their urgent pleas for measures to prevent erosion of the river bank. As a result, the house of Ajit Sheikh is the last structure standing on the edge.
Read Climate migration in Bangladesh may increase 7-fold by 2050: ActionAid
According to local resident Rustom Biswash, a freedom fighter, a large portion of Gashial mouja has been devoured by the river over the past 50 years. "Erosion is a perennial affair here," he says.
"If the authorities concerned do not act immediately, then the mouja could soon become a barren land," he adds.
In fact, the residents say that some 1,500 acres of land have disappeared in the mouja in the past few years and nearly 35-40 families in Char-Chougachi village are living with the fear of their houses being swept away.
Read Prof. Ainun Nishat joins Bangladeshi teenager’s climate campaign.
Owing to poverty and occupational reasons, many people in the village live near the river, which makes them a victim of erosion.
The local administration though says that it has dumped more than 15,000 sandbags on the riverbank to prevent erosion in the area. "The sandbags will prevent erosion to a large extent," says Anwar Hossain, a sub-contractor of the Water Development Board.
Read Dhaleshwari erosion takes serious turn in Keraniganj
The local residents, however, have demanded that the authorities build a river embankment in the area to put an end to the problem of riverbank erosion once and for all.
Solaiman Molla, president of River Erosion Protection Committee, says that this is the first time in 50 years that the authorities concerned have placed sandbags, "which is good news for the residents living here"
Mohammad Zakir Hossain, chairman of Dariapur Union, said already the dredging and sand-lifting work have been done.
Also read: Riverbank erosion displacees await rehabilitation.
Engineer Golam Sarwar of Water Development Board, says, "Sandbags have been placed in the 500-metre area along the riverbank and a committee will soon be formed to protect the river. More sandbags will be dumped in phases.”
Living in fear of the mighty Padma
Originally a resident of the Isaeel Shibrampur area in Goalundo upazila's Daulatdia union, Jalil Sikder now lives with his family in a hutment on a Good Samaritan's land in Nasir Sardar Para.
"We were rendered homeless after our house was washed away by the mighty Padma river in front of our eyes last year. Thanks to a benevolent person in Isaeel Shibrampur, we have a roof over our heads," he says.
Riverbank erosion is a common problem along the Padma during the rainy season.
And Jalil is also not the lone sufferer. Over the years, several families in the riverine areas of the upazila's Daulatdia and Debgram unions have been rendered homeless by such engulfing calamity.
READ: Padma boat capsize: Bodies of missing AIUB student, cousin found after 8 days
Some 2,000 families still living in the riverine areas of the two unions are now spending sleepless nights. Their fears are tangible, with monsoon rains barely a week away.
"Every day, the river is washing away some three to four bighas of land. The erosion aggravates during the monsoon when the Padma overflows its banks. It's high time that the authorities took safety measures without any delay," says Hazrat Sheikh, a resident of Devgram's Munshibazar area.
"In the past three years, some 300 families have been forced to abandon their houses in Devgram. What we get from the local authorities after every monsoon is only assurances of better preparedness for next year," says Ruby Khatun, a resident of Aziz Sardar Para.
Read Riverbank erosion destroys homes and hopes
Upazila Chairman Mostafa Munshi admits the problem the riverine areas face during the monsoon. "I have sought Rajbari-1 MP Kazi Keramat Ali's help in this regard," he says.
According to the Rajbari-1 MP, all preparations are underway for starting the construction of an embankment from Ferry Ghat to Debgram Antarmor to prevent erosion.
"The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council will soon begin work on Daulatdia and Paturia Ghat modernisation projects worth around Tk 650 crore," he says.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Azizul Haque Khan recently visited the affected areas. "For the time being, the Water Development Board is placing sand bags along the ferry ghat," he says.
READ: Padma devours SESDP Model High School in Madaripur
Riverbank erosion destroys homes and hopes
It's an ordeal people living on the banks of the Teesta and Dharla rivers in Lalmonirhat district go through almost every monsoon -- severe erosion of riverbanks. But this year, pre-monsoon showers have caused widespread damage.
Since last week, several buildings -- residential and educational -- in many areas of the district have been swallowed up by the mighty rivers, rendering hundreds homeless. Water levels in the Teesta and Dharla have gone up because of incessant showers over the past four-five days.
Read Dhaleshwari erosion takes serious turn in Keraniganj
While buildings in Mogolhat Folimari in Sadar upazila have been swallowed up by the Dharla, at least 20 houses in Kutirpar, Balapara, Badiartari and Chouraha of Aditmari upazila's Mohishkhocha union have been flattened by the Teesta.
Riverbank erosion displacees await rehabilitation
After years of peaceful existence in the house she had built with her husband at Sardob village in Sadar upazila, Mohila Begum saw the local river swallow it one night.
Padma erosion threatens Daulatdia Ferry Terminal
Rapid decline in the water level, strong current and torrential rainfall in the last few days have put the Daulatdia Ferry Terminal area at high risk of erosion which could potentially force partial shutdown of the key terminal.
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Untimely Padma erosion jolts Goalanda people
An unanticipated dry-season bank erosion by the Padma River is wreaking havoc with the inhabitants of two unions here, taking away over 100 bighas of arable land in the last two weeks and creating panic among them, especially the farmers.