Fifteen young men, mostly college and school students, have volunteered to shift houses, structures and other moveable property of poor erosion victims to safer places.

River erosion has intensified stretching one kilometre area from Baguria to Majipara on the western bank of the Brahmaputra in Gaibandha Sadar upazila during the last several days.

The Brahmaputra has devoured at least 30 homesteads during the period and hundreds others were threatened by erosion.

People living on the bank of the river are mostly destitutes and ultra-poor. Many of them even cannot afford to pay the labour cost for shifting huts and movable property to elsewhere. Previously, structures and household articles of poor erosion victims were washed away by the surging water of the river.

Observing the pitiable situation, the young men came to the aid of the poor erosion victims.

While visiting the erosion affected areas, this correspondent saw a group of young men working to shift tin shed houses and other household articles of the erosion victims to safer places from the erosion affected area.

'We are not only shifting houses and other valuables of the erosion victims, but also helping them take shelter to the nearby embankment or high land, said Jaharul Islam, a volunteer.

While talking to other volunteers, Emrul, Babul, Rafiz, Sumon, they told this correspondent they are trying to do welfare of the erosion victims. Their example would inspire others to service the needy, said Sumon, youngest member of the team.

'I have lost all of my belongings as the river devoured my homestead within an hour. Now I am a pauper', said Moni Das, a fisherman at Baguria village.

The Water Development Board (WDB) is now engaged in constructing a counter embankment to protect people from the scourge of flood, but they have done nothing to save people from erosion, said Sankar Das. Last year, the WDB officials commited to dump sand bag to arrest erosion in the area, but in vain, he said.

While talking to Rafayel Tusher Chakkravarti, Disaster Management Officer of Heed (Bangladesh), he said they already trained 50 young men so that they can extend help to disaster victims at the time of need.