Land erosion worsens
The flood water started receding from Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha but erosions by the rivers Dharla and Jamuna, which were triggered by flood, took serious turns rendering around 40,000 families homeless in one week.
In addition, around 15,000 famers have incurred losses of Tk 10 crore with their fishes being washed away from water bodies in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat.
S Dilip Roy from Lalmonirhat reports, many of the farmers cultivated fishes taking loan from banks or NGOs.
Nafir Uddin, 62, president of Landless Fisherman Samity in Dighaltari village of Aditmari upazila, said all of the fishes have gone away from “Dalai Lama Beel”, the largest water body in the district.
Around 110 landless farmers make their living by farming fishes in this state water body, he said, adding, “They incurred loss of about Tk 40 lakh.”
Rezaul Islam, 48, of Kashiram in Sadar upazila, said he and four others cultivated fishes in an eight-acre pond after taking loan from a local NGO, but all the fishes were washed away by flood. “… Now we are facing interest charges.”
He had hoped he would earn at least Tk 3 lakh from fish farming in two ponds on five acres of land, but his expectation was not fulfilled with all the fishes being washed away, said Pradip Kumar Das, 33, of Uttar Saptana village in the upazila.
“I invested two lakh taka for fish farming, and I took loan of one lakh taka from a local NGO,” he said.
"About 200 fishes of different species were in my three-acre pond," said Hazrat Ali, 55, of Kakina in Kaliganj upazila. “But I found not a single one today.”
Admitting the facts, District Fishery Officer Latifur Rahman said this time flood caused huge losses due to a lack of preparations as it hit late. Generally flood hits in mid-July, but this year it occurred in mid-August, he added.
He has sent a letter to the director general of the department seeking fund for the farmers so that they can overcome the loss of Tk 10 crore.
Around 80 percent of 35,000 families in 95 villages in the district returned to their houses as the flood water started receding from Monday.
Meanwhile, 150 metres of Lalmonirhat-Fulbari road has been devoured by the Dharla in Kulaghat area of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila between morning to noon yesterday.
Manowarul Islam, sub-divisional engineer of Roads and Highways in Lalmonirhat, said they have informed Water Development Board of it.
“Without checking the erosion, it is not possible to repair the damaged road,” he said.
Mokhlesur Rahman, sub-divisional engineer of WDB (Kurigram Zone), said it was now the responsibility of the Local Government and Engineering Deportment as a bridge was being constructed over the river at Kulaghat point under its supervision.
Arefin Islam, Phulbari upazila engineer of LGED, said 15 percent of works of the bridge has been completed and they would start checking the river erosion after completing of 80 percent of the project.
Meher Ali, 56, of Kulaghat, said, “If portions stretching 500 to 600 more metres of the road are devoured, our homesteads will be attacked.”
Boatman Nabirul Islam, 42, said the entire pier was devoured.
Our Gaibandha correspondent adds, erosion by the river Jamuna has rendered over 500 families homeless in Patilbari, Dighholkandi, Char Haldia, and Char Gobindapur villages, while 2,000 more are at risk in Haldia union of Shaghata upazila.
Two-storey Char Gobindapur Government Primary School has completely been devoured by the river.
Char Gobindapur High School, Kanaipara Dakhil Madrasa and a mosque are about to be eroded away.
A large portion of Haldia Bazaar has gone into the river.
Victims rush to the union parishad every day but do not get adequate assistance.
The upazila nirbahi officer and the deputy commissioner were informed of it, said Rafiqul Islam Mandol, chairman of Haldia Union Parishad.
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