United News of Bangladesh

Riverbank erosion has long haunted the people of Koyra, a coastal upazila in Khulna, but this year their fears have intensified. Despite a massive government project meant to offer lasting protection, irregularities and sluggish progress are raising serious questions about whether the embankments will withstand the next tide. Experts say climate change, rising tidal pressure and shifts in river flow continue to intensify threats along the Bay of Bengal coast. Read more: Sand syndicates tighten grip on Bangladesh's northern region The government’s long-awaited sustainable embankment project—worth nearly Tk 12,000 crore—initially offered hope to thousands who face erosion every summer and monsoon. But allegations of mismanagement now overshadow the initiative. Illegal Sand Extraction, Tree Cutting Undermine Safety Locals and environmental groups report that sand is being illegally extracted from the Kopotakkho and Shakbaria rivers to support embankment construction. At the same time, riverside trees are being cut indiscriminately, weakening natural buffers meant to stabilise the structures. On December 4, these fears materialised when nearly 200 metres of embankment collapsed at Matiabhanga in South Bedkashi union—without strong winds or floods. The sudden breach inundated nearby areas. Two days later, fresh cracks appeared between Doshahalia in Maharajpur union and Hoglar, forcing residents to patch the damage themselves. Residents say they heard unusual soil-lifting sounds late at night before the embankment gave way. Many believe the incident was linked to unchecked extraction and construction malpractice. Read more: Teesta Dam ‘renovation’ in Rangpur turns into a 'sand bonanza' “The embankment just vanished before our eyes. We thought our homes and everything would be washed away,” recalled Masum Billah, a resident of Matiabhanga. Abdus Salam, another villager, said erosion has been intensifying daily. “Three houses have already been lost. Despite the long-standing vulnerability, no repairs were undertaken,” he said. Warnings Ignored, Cracks Left Unrepaired The breached area is part of a Tk 1,200-crore Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) mega project in Koyra and adjoining regions. The work includes raising and widening 32 km of embankments, slope protection, river management and riverside afforestation. But locals say they have seen little evidence of strong, sustained work on the ground. Didarul Alam, a member of Ward No. 3 of South Bedkashi union, said cracks had been reported a month earlier near the mouths of the Arpangasia and Kopotakkho rivers. “No effective measures were taken. Only a few sandbags were placed, which allowed the crack to widen and collapse,” he said. Read more: 130 metres of Teesta bridge embankment collapses threatening 1700 families BWDB Satkhira-2 Division Deputy Assistant Engineer Alamgir Kabir insisted that repair work is underway and that a temporary ring embankment has helped halt further flooding. Environmentalists Alarmed by Project Irregularities Environmental activists say the recent embankment breach in winter—traditionally a calm season—is highly unusual and signals structural weaknesses. Anwar Hossain, convener of the Coastal and Sundarbans Conservation Movement, expressed deep concern over illegal sand lifting and deforestation along river chars. These destructive practices, he said, directly undermine embankment durability. “Breaches like this in winter are unprecedented,” he said, pointing to irregularities in project execution despite substantial government funding. A Coastal Region Running Out of Time For vulnerable communities already living on the edge, the collapse has renewed fears of a future defined by unchecked erosion, tidal surges and displacement. With the monsoon months only half a year away, residents worry that without transparency, accountability and swift action, the mega project may fail to deliver the protection it promised. Read more: Illegal sand extraction in Feni continues despite political shift Locals say they cannot afford another collapse, or another year of neglect.

The local administration has estimated a loss of Tk 60 crore in damage caused by Cyclone Yaas in the coastal areas of Khulna district. Due to the impact of the cyclone, many houses, fish enclosures, some 100 kilometres of embankments and crop lands were damaged. Read: Cyclone Yaas disrupts normal life in 23 chars of Bhola The experts have estimated that the combined damage is worth up to Tk 60 crore. In Koyra upazila, 50 villages under four unions of the district have been flooded by the river water while the tidal surge entered the localities through 11 points of the flood-protection embankment as the water levelof Kapotakkho, Koyra and Shakbaria rivers increased 6-7 feet above the normal level. The local administration of Koyra upazila alone said the losses caused by the cyclone amount to Tk 35 crore. Fish farmers of the upazila are the worst affected as fish of some 2550 hectares of shrimp enclosures and ponds have been washed away, counting a loss of fish worth Tk 15 crore. Besides, the tidal surge inundated many low-lying areas of the upazila as embankments in many points including Dashhalia, Mathbari, Tetultala char, Angtihara, Gobra, Ghatakhali, Koyra headquarters, Katkata, Kashir Hatkhola, Katmarchar, Pabna, Kashir Khal, Hogla, Uttar Bedkashi, Gatir Gheri, Shakbaria, Noyani and Khorolkati have been damaged. GM Abdullah Al Mamun, chairman of Maharazpur union, said “The volunteers have repaired the risky points of the embankments but they failed to protect villages and the tidal surge entered into the locality through many points of the embankments.” Read: Yaas: How Bhasan Char prepared for the cyclone Sagar Hossain Soikat, project implementation officer of Koyra upazila, said “Thirty-five villages in the upazila have been flooded due to the impact of Cyclone Yaas, rendering 25,000 people marooned. We have made a list of the damaged things and we found Tk 35 crore damage.” Besides, 7050 houses were damaged during the cyclonic storm. Of these, 50 houses were fully damaged, 1200 houses were damaged partially and 5,800 houses were slightly damaged, said Sagar Hossain. Animesh Biswas, Koyra Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said necessary assistance will be provided to the affected people. In Paikgachcha upazila, 86 kilometres of roads of ten unions and a municipality have been damaged while 28 kilometres of the embankment was partially damaged. Some 660 hectares of shrimp enclosures have been washed away, incurring a loss of Tk 1.15 crore. Besides, 10,000 people have been affected by the cyclone. Read:Cyclone Yaas: 4 teams formed to assess damage in the Sundarbans Imrul Kayesh, project implementation officer of the upazila, said a number of villages were inundated by the tidal surge. According to the sources in Dakope upazila, 200 hectares of fish enclosures were washed away and 34 kilometres of road, 24 kiloometre embankment, 15 mosques, five temples, and 2,828 houses were damaged. The overall estimate of losses caused by the cyclone in the upazila is Tk 11.27 crore.  

Although just over two months have now passed since Cyclone Amphan made landfall in the south-western coastal areas of the country, the residents of Koyra upazila who evacuated their homes as the storm approached still find themselves unable to return.

A local leader of Bangladesh Chhatra Leauge, who suffered injuries in a clash over construction work of a bridge in Koyra upazila on Sunday afternoon, died on the way to Dhaka on Monday morning.

Police recovered a slaughtered deer and three deer hides from Antihara village in Koyra upazila early Saturday.

Police arrested a person with counterfeit currency from Adamji Bazar in Koyra upazila on Saturday night.