More than 50,000 people living along the banks of the Kushiyara River in Sylhet's Beanibazar upazila are living in constant fear. Severe erosion has caused miles of roads to collapse into the river, and many structures—including homes, schools, mosques, madrasas, and graveyards—have already gone into the gorge of the river. The embankment meant to safeguard the riverbanks is also under threat. Locals alleged that despite the ongoing erosion, no effective measures have been implemented to address the situation. Beanibazar Upazila, located in the northeast of Sylhet district, is bordered to the north by Zakiganj, to the south by Baralekha, to the east by the Indian state of Assam, and to the west by Golapganj. It is approximately 52 km from Sylhet Sadar. This riverine region is home to several rivers, including the Surma, Kushiyara, and Sonai. The Kushiyara River, which originates from the Barak River in Assam, flows through Zakiganj, Beanibazar, Golapganj, Fenchuganj, Balaganj, Rajnagar, Moulvibazar, Nabiganj, and Jagannathpur. "Wherever the torrential Kushiara River flows, vast settlements have been lost," locals lament. Despite various initiatives by the Water Development Board to protect the riverbanks, erosion remains a significant issue. In the Angura Mohammadpur area, both banks of the Kushiyara River have suffered extensive erosion over the past few years. "Roads, homes, schools, mosques, madrasas, and graveyards have already been washed away." "From Angura Mohammadpur downstream to Amura in Golapganj Upazila, over three kilometers of riverbank protection dams have crumbled, disrupting transportation." Despite repeated requests to the government for repairs, little progress has been made. According to locals, using blocks or geo bags could effectively protect the riverbanks. Mizan Ahmad from Angura Mohammadpur expressed concern: "The Kushiara River has swallowed parts of our area. Three and a half kilometers of road from Angura Mohammadpur to Amura Union have gone under the river, along with many houses." He added, “Those who can afford left the place and built houses elsewhere" Bahar Uddin, an expatriate from the UK living in Angura Mohammadpur, noted that the river's course has shifted dramatically over the last 25-30 years. "Where there used to be settlements, there is now river, and where the river once flowed has become land." Nabaganga erosion hits Narail villages "As our roads have gone into the river gorge, traveling has become very difficult," he said. Kofil Uddin, head teacher of Govindashri Government Primary School, mentioned that the collapse of the riverbank dam severely disrupts student movement during the monsoon. “Over 50,000 people in the area, including teachers and students, are suffering a lot even in the dry season,” he added. Deepak Ranjan Das, Executive Engineer of the Sylhet Water Development Board, recently visited the erosion-affected Angura Mohammadpur area and assured residents that repair work would begin soon. He stated, “We are working to address the breaking points as quickly as possible. A letter has already been sent to higher authorities for funding, and erosion prevention efforts will commence as soon as allocations are made.” Former member of the Kurarbazar Union Parishad, Raju Alam, emphasized the need for effective measures to combat river erosion. “If the authorities were to throw blocks or geo bags in the river, it could help save the riverbank. Without permanent solutions to protect the Kushiara's banks, the damage could escalate significantly,” he noted.    

Over 500 farmers of several villages in Rupsa upazila under Khulna district are living amid fear of losing their cropland as no initiative has been taken in the last three years to construct the broken Shreerampur embankment to protect their land. Farmers said there is around 525 hectares of croplands in Shreerampur char and over 500 farmers cultivate vegetables, rice and fruits on the fertile land three times a year. Read: Teesta riverbank erosion in Lalmonirhat: Fear of losing homes grips locals But three years ago about 1.5 km of the embankment from Shreerampur Palpara to Idris Jamaddar’s brick kiln collapsed due to erosion by the Rupsha River, leaving the cropland under threat. Local MP Abdus Salam Murshedi took an initiative to solve the problem but no visible progress was made in the construction of embankment due to some complexities that created resentment among the local people. Read: River erosion washes away road in Sunamganj;  thousands  suffer AHM Kamal, a farmer of the upazila who has land in Sreerampur char, said “We have been cultivating this land for generations. After meeting the region’s demand the rest of the crops are exported. We are in a great anxiety because of the river erosion which started three years ago. We are always afraid that the river water would enter the cropland and damage our crops. So I urge Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and local MP Abdus Salam Murshedi to save the farmers of the area by constructing an embankment as soon as possible.” Read: Rising river waters trigger flooding, erosion concerns in Kurigram Md Jahangir Hosen Mukul, a member of Khulna district Awami League, said, “ this dam has a great significance in the life of the farmers of this area. If the embankment collapses due to erosion, thousands of people will be affected .Croplands will be destroyed and there will be shortage of food. So I think it is very important to construct this embankment.

A mass grave where eight freedom fighters were buried in 1971 at Hajrahati village in Magura’s Shalikha upazila is currently under threat of erosion by the Chitra river. On December 7, 1971, eight freedom fighters who had returned home after receiving training in India were apprehended by Razakars, who collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces during the War of Liberation in 1971 and killed mercilessly on the bank of the Chitra river. Later, locals buried the bodies of the freedom fighters at the place of their murder. The eight freedom fighters were Jodunath Guha, Panchanan Pal, Haripad Das, Nityandon Vadra, Monoranjan Dutta, Narugopal Ray, Suresh Kar and an unidentified man. After entering Bangladesh crossing the Indian border in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenidah district, these freedom fighters fought bravely against the Pakistani military. They were caught and killed during the final stage of the Liberation War while. “I still search for my brother Jodunath on the bank of the Chitra river. I go to the mass grave with his picture and cry out for my brother,” said Chobi Rani Adhikari, sister of one of the slain freedom fighters. Chobi added that although it has been 51 years since the country became independent, the mass grave beside the Chitra river hasn’t been maintained properly. Also Read: Independent candidate lands in jail ahead of Magura Zilla Parishad polls “During monsoon, water from the river enters the grave. The grave will be washed away by the river someday if  no measures are taken,” Chobi added. Ratan Kumar Das, a local who was 13 during the Liberation War,  said some seven to eight freedom fighters were going to Faridpur via Hajrahati during the final days of the war when they were apprehended and killed by Razakars of the area. “Although we’ve requested the upazila administration time and again, no step has been taken by them to preserve the mass grave. Some officials of the administration have visited the grave multiple times and that’s all,” Ratan said. SM Abdur Rahman, Joint Convener of Muktijoddha Sangsad’s district unit and a Deputy Commander during the Liberation War, said that family members of the slain freedom fighters gather at the grave every year and arrange events to commemorate their sacrifice. “Bangladesh has been liberated through the sacrifice of the freedom fighters. It’s our duty to respect them. That’s why immediate steps are necessary to protect Hajrahati Mass Grave from ruin,” said Rahman.    

Ferry operation from No  5 ferry terminal in Daulatdia has been suspended as it witnessed severe  erosion by the Padma River in Goalanda upazila of Rajbari district. The Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) aurhorities suspended the ferry operation from the terminal as its 50 meters area went into the gorge of the mighty river on Tuesday. Already, the authorities concerned have thrown GO bags in the area.  Besides, three other ferry terminals in the upazila have been facing erosion threat. Read: Teesta erosion: Over 100 families left homeless in Kurigram, Gaibandha

More than 250 houses have been washed away by the Teesta River in Ulipur  upazila of Kurigram in the last three days. Erosion has started along the 2 kilometre-long bank of the Teesta since last a month in West Kalpani Bajra, Kalpani Bajra and Satalskar villages of Bajra Union of the upazila. Due to the sudden intensity of erosion, the Teesta has also devoured 500 bighas of cropland, a community clinic, educational institutions, markets, mosques, temples, Eidgah grounds in the union. Maulvi Refakat Hossain, superintendent of Bajra Paschim Para Dakhil Madrasa, said half of the madrasa has been devoured by Teesta since Wednesday. “The remaining part will also be washed away soon.” The villagers requested the Water Development Board to take immediate preventive measures. Read: Teesta erosion: Over 100 families left homeless in Kurigram, Gaibandha Ulipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Bipul Kumar said the union chairman and members were asked to list those affected by the erosion at the earliest.  “Assistance will be provided once the list is received.” “We also updated the erosion issues with the Water Development Board. They said that they are not able to do anything due to lack of budget.” Meanwhile, Executive Engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board Abdullah Al Mamun said erosion has suddenly started here due to river management measures at the upstream of the villages. “We have reported the matter to the higher authorities. Action will be taken soon.”

International Farakka Committee on Saturday demanded the implementation of the Teesta Master Plan to protect three crore people living in its basin in Bangladesh from heavy flood and river banks erosion. Atiqur Rahman Salu, chairman of IFC, voiced the demand in an opinion exchange meeting at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club. The IFC chairman said this while the promise for signing a treaty on the Teesta is lingering on for 12 years, in the dry season flow of the river is being diverted unilaterally from the Gazal Doba Barrage in West Bengal, India for more than two decades. No change to this unfortunate plight of the Teesta is in sight, he said adding, “We therefore believe that the government of Bangladesh should urgently take sustainable measures to minimize the adverse effects of drought-flood vagaries to the people of Teesta Basin in Bangladesh’. Dr. S.I. Khan, senior vice-president, IFC Bangladesh, Mostafa Kamal Majumder, coordinator and Ataur Rahman Ata, joint secretary of IFC and Rafiqul Islam Azad, former president of Dhaka Reporters’ Unity were present at the opinion exchange and answered questions of journalists. Atiqur Rahman Salu said no treaty has been signed on the Teesta although the two countries were supposed to do so in 2011. The Irony is that even in this rainy season Nilphamari, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts have experienced several waves of flood and riverbank erosion. Read: FM Momen rues long delay in Teesta deal with India He said devastating floods in the rainy season and dry rivers and drought in the dry season have brought environmental disasters to Bangladesh. “Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to go on a visit to India soon. It is our belief that she would discuss with the Indian Prime Minister in clear terms the plight of world’s largest delta Bangladesh that has originated from the common rivers,” he said. He also said this is urgent because being cut off from the common rivers the lush green environment of the country is getting destroyed day by day, damaging agriculture, breeding and feeding grounds of indigenous fish, and industry. People are losing livelihoods and becoming displaced. The IFC chairman noted that China has come up with an idea to implement a Teesta management and restoration master plan with nearly $1 billion in loan (about 10,000 crore Taka). The Power Construction Corporation or Power China wants to implement the master plan. Work on this project was supposed to begin in 2021, but has not started yet. He said, “ If water was available there was no need of alternative thinking. Given the present uncertain situation it’s not wise to sit idle. When the urge to restore the flow of the river from upstream will come under the dictates of nature the Bangladesh part of the Teesta will get a new lease of life.” IFC recommended that the Teesta Master plan can be expanded to cover Karatoa, Punarbhaba, and Atrai in the old Teesta basin. This will ensure overall development of the Northwestern part of Bangladesh. This master plan is no substitute for basin-based integrated management of the river to keep it alive, he said adding that it can help improve the lot of the people of the Teesta basin by protecting them from the annual floods and bank erosions.

Erosion has taken a serious turn in Chilmari upazila of Kurigram district and Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha district, rendering many people living along the banks of Teesta River homeless in the past one week. Hundreds of houses have been washed away by the recent erosion while a vast track of crop lands and trees were devoured by the Teesta River. Three educational institutions of the two upazilas are at risk of erosion. During a recent visit to Patrakhata union in Chilmari upazila and Karent Bazar of Haripur union in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha district, this correspondent found that several hundred people have been living under the open sky as their homesteads were gorged into the river water. Local people alleged that they lost everything due to the negligence on the part of the authorities concerned of the Water Development Board and contractor firm as they failed to dump GO bags along the bank of the river in time. Maulana Abdul Aziz Akanda, Madrasha super of Patrakhata Riajul Jannah Dakhil Madrasha in Chilmari upazila, said erosion has taken a serious turn at the bordering areas of the two districts for the last several months but the authorities concerned did not take any steps to prevent it. As a result, many families were left homeless. Read: Jamuna gulps 400 houses in Sirajganj If the government would not take any effective initiative immediately, then the Mandalerhat Government Primary School, Madaripara Mondolerhat high School and Patrakhata Riajul Jannah Dakhil Madrasha will be washed away anytime, he said. Bahar Uddin, a resident of the area said “The authorities concerned kept ready a hundred sacks of sand but why are they waiting? Have no idea. Had they dumped sacks in time then many houses could be saved.” Abdullah Al Mamun, executive engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board, said 70,000 geobags have been allocated and they will soon start to dump the bags after counting.

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.

More than 50 houses have been washed away by the Teesta River in two unions of Rajarhat  upazila  in the last 45 days. Heavy rainfall and the onrush of the upstream water triggered the Teesta river banks erosion, rendering many people living on the river banks homeless. Hundreds of bighas of cropland, trees, ponds, and mosques have also been affected by the river erosion.  People of the area have become helpless as the authorities concerned are  yet to take any preventive measures to stop river erosion, said locals.     Only two kilometers of the 43 kilometers river banks have been protected while the rest area remained unprotected.  As a result, houses, trees, and cropland are washed away every year.  Educational institutions, bazars and mosques and temples are under threat of erosion, they said. Currently, river erosion has taken serious turn in 6 kilometers area in Gharialdanga and Bidyananda unions of the upazila.  The Water Development Board is trying to save the river banks by dumping geo bags in the river as temporary measures. A total of 17 houses of Bogurapara, Ramhori, Kitabgaon, and Burirhat have been devoured by the  Teesta River recently despite the efforts of the Water Development Board. Locals have urged the authorities concerned to save their houses and other establishments from the river erosion. Mondol Ali, son of late Bande Ali of Kitab Khan village under Bidyananda union, said, “We live on the bank of Teesta. But there is no option expect dumping geo bags to control the river erosion. I have no idea how we will survive here.  We have no idea how long we can survive here.” Meheron of Ramhori village of Gharialdanga said, “River has taken all of my properties including cropland. I have sold trees worth Tk 5 lakh only at Tk 90,000 fearing the erosion in the Teesta River.  If the river washes away my house, then we will turn homeless.” Abdul Baten, UP member of No. 1 ward under the Gharialdanga union said, the measures taken by the Water Development Board are inadequate to protect the 6-7 kilometers long area from the river erosion.  Also read: Relentless Garai erosion leaves many homeless in Jhenaidah

Due to the continuous erosion of the Nayagang and Saburi rivers, roads, houses and crop lands in Jaintapur upazila of Sylhet have gone into the gorge of the rivers. Thousands of acres of arable lands, including hundreds of houses and rural roads in Barbhag, Mallifaud, Katakhal and Lamni villages are under threat due to river erosion. One and a half kilometers of Katakhal road has been devoured by the river. Due to the dam of Bangladesh Power Development Board (WAPDA), the Nayagang river is flowing at a faster speed than normal with strong current, threatening the houses of the people living along the river to face erosion. And so, blocks need to be set up urgently to protect the villages of Moakhai, Lamni, Katakhal and Mallifaud on the banks of the river. Otherwise, the people of these areas will suffer immense loss and the crop lands will be devoured by the river during floods. According to locals, many villagers are leaving their homes and moving to other places due to river erosion by this time. The villagers demanded that the Water Development Board take initiative to set up permanent embankments to protect the villagers from river erosion. Jaintapur Upazila Parishad Chairman Kamal Ahmed said initiatives are being taken to repair and repair rural roads in different areas soon after the water recedes. Besides, due to river erosion, it has become very difficult to protect the residents of Barbhag, Kandi, Mallifaud, Katakhal, Moakhai and Lamnigram. He will make a written request to the Water Development Board to take immediate action to save the villagers from erosion during monsoon. Also read: 70-80 houses in Kurigram threatened by untimely Teesta erosion