The Jamuna River devoured yet another chunk of the under-construction Siajganj Eco Park. Erosion started for the second time on Wednesday and until Friday evening cement concrete blocks on the south side of the park eroded into the river, said Shafiqul Islam, executive engineer of district Water Development Board (WDB). Earlier in May a block stretching 80 meters inland on the north side of the park eroded into the river. Read: Jamuna gulps 400 houses in Sirajganj “Now the water of the Jamuna River has reduced a lot so there should not be erosion. However, during the dry season, the locals extract sand from the river bank conservation project area and carry it in trucks daily over the CC blocks.  Besides, the main stream of the river is now directly hitting the right bank due to sand lifting. That may have caused the erosion,” said Haydar Ali, senior officer of Sirajganj WDB. To stop the erosion, sand filled geobags will be dumped in the area, said WDB executive engineer Shafiqul Islam.

Around 400 houses across four villages of Shahjadpur upazila in Sirajganj have been gulped by the Jamuna river in the past one week, officials said on Friday. “Some 400 houses, including 30 of the Ashryan project, have tumbled into the river. Pakurtala Primary School, a mosque and other buildings on the riverbank are now at risk,” said Nasir Uddin, sub-divisional engineer of Sirajganj Water Development Board (WDB). “The receding waters of the Jamuna river are causing erosion,” he said. Also read: Flood situation worsens in parts of Sylhet The WDB engineer said that Shahjadpur, Chauhali, Belkuchi, Kazipur, and Sirajganj Sadar upazila’s low-lying and char areas still remained flooded on Friday. "Many of the important roads also remained under water, disrupting vehicular movement. People are also facing drinking water crisis," he added. Similarly, around 9,106 hectares of Ropa Aman, jute, sesame and other crops have been damaged in the flooded region of the district, according to an officer of district agricultural extension department. Also read: Flood situation improves in Kurigram Shahjadpur upazila nirbahi officer Tariqul Islam said he has already informed the WDB about the extreme erosion and the need for taking adequate steps.

A survey is underway to assess the feasibility of building a tunnel alongside Bangabandhu Bridge as an alternative passage under the Jamuna River, said State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury. Talking to reporters at the secretariat on Wednesday during an event organized by Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF), he said an alternative passage along the Bangabandhu Bridge is needed. “A feasibility study is underway. If its results are found to be positive, then the country's second tunnel after the Karnaphuli one will be built there,” he said. Read Karnaphuli Tunnel Project makes "breakthrough" amid Covid-19 About the encroached lands along the river banks, he said, “We want to give some time to the industrial establishments on the river banks as they’ve made huge investments there. Government lands have been demarcated while notices have been issued to the encroachers in this regard.” To secure 10,000 kilometers of waterways, illegal establishments have been removed from nearby rivers, the state minister said, adding that 3,000 kilometers of waterways have already been secured.

The overall flood situation in parts of the country may worsen further as the water levels in the Jamuna and Brahmaputra Rivers keep rising, said the Flood Forecasting Warning Centre (FFWC) of Bangladesh Water Development Board. According to a FFWC bulletin released on Friday, the situation is likely to worsen further in Kurigram, Tangail, Sirajganj, Pabna, Manikganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Shariatpur and Chandpur districts. READ: Flood in Kurigram getting worse Besides, the Jamuna River is expected to flow above its danger level at Bahadurabad, Phulchhari and Mathura points, the bulletin said.

Another 30- metre span of flood control dam in Dhunat upazila of Bogura collapsed into the Jamuna River due to strong currents Tuesday. No sooner had the Water Development Board (WDB) repaired a 20-metre area of the dam that collapsed on August 5, this incident happened at the same spot around 12 am Tuesday, said Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sanjay Kumar Mahanto. Also read: 100-metre stretch of Sirajganj town protection dam washed away From Tuesday morning the WDB officials were dumping sand filled geobags in the area as a temporary measure while concerned authorities had been contacted to permanently repair the span, said the UNO. In 2003, WDB established the 7 kilometers long dam and two spans to prevent Jamuna River erosion from Vandarbari union to Dhakuria union of Kazipur upazila. Vandarbari UP chairman Atikul Karim Apel said the locals' demand is to fix the span as soon as possible otherwise 15 villages of the union will be gulped away by River Jamuna. Also read: Padma river embankment risks catastrophic collapse Executive engineer of WDB Mahbubur Rahman said efforts are ongoing to prevent further collapse.

Manikganj, Sept 13 (UNB) – Hundreds of students of government primary schools in three upazilas of the district are attending classes in makeshift rooms after their educational institutions were devoured by the Padma and Jamuna rivers.   Ten primary schools in Daulatpur, Shibalaya and Harirampur upazilas were destroyed by the river. Of them, seven were in Daulatpur, two in Shibalaya and one in Harirampur.   With the school buildings gone, classes are being held at houses, local bazars and other establishments.   Daulatpur Upazila Education Officer Moazzem Hossain said seven government primary schools were washed away and 19 schools were partially damaged when Jamuna burst its banks.   Ten other schools are at the risk of erosion.

Bogura, Aug 17 (UNB) – The body of a schoolboy who along with his younger brother went missing in the Jamuna River at Pakuria Char in Sariakandi upazila was recovered on Saturday.

Bogura, Aug 16 (UNB) – Two brothers went missing in the Jamuna River as they jumped into it to bring back a football during a football match at Pakuria Char in Sariakandi upazila on Friday noon. 

Sirajganj, Aug 14 (UNB) – A woman was found dead and two others went missing after an engine boat sunk with 31 passengers on board in the Jamuna River in Sinnarchar area at Kazipur here on Wednesday.

Joypurhat, July 30 (UNB) – Police recovered the body of a schoolgirl from the Chhoto Jamuna River in Panchbibi upazila here on Monday night, 12 hours after she went missing from the district town.