Erosion threatens Majher Char
Majher Char, an island in the river Baleshwar of the district, is under serious threat of being washed away due to continuous erosion.
The char is under Betmore Razpara union in Mathbaria upazila, with a population of 1,100 and an area of 750 acres.
Locals said the south-west corner of the char has been undergoing erosion for the last ten years, making it difficult for the people to live there.
“Erosion began in our char from 2001,” said 70-year-old Nurul Amin, a resident of the char.
“Because of erosion, the river has come to very close to my house,” said Hazrat Ali, another villager.
Villagers said that though erosion has been going on for a long time, no step has been taken for protecting the char from being damaged.
“Sometimes, officials come to our char and visit the erosion affected area. But the situation has not changed,” said Abdus Salam Jomadder, 76.
Delowar Hossain, newly elected chairman of Betmore Razpara union, said it is necessary to take initiative to save the char as the people will be homeless if it vanishes. “I have informed the authorities concerned about the erosion of Majher Char,” he added.
Sayeed Ahmed, executive engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in Pirojpur, said they have no project in Majher Char, so they cannot do anything there.
Majher Char, which is adjacent to the Sundarbans, was created inside the river Baleshwar in around 1950. In 1965, the then Pakistan government distributed the land among the homeless people.
Comments