Take permanent steps to stop Jamuna onslaught
Residents of Katlamari village in Fulchhari upazila of the district formed a human chain yesterday, demanding permanent measures for arresting widespread erosion along the western bank of the Jamuna River.
Organised by Katlamari Nadi Bhangon Protirodh Sangram committee, villagers, including women and students, lined up along the bank for two hours to press the government to take immediate steps to protect them from the onslaught by the river.
They alleged that the local Water Development Board (WDB) did not take any permanent measure against erosion that has engulfed a large number of homesteads, structures and croplands, rendering over 2000 people shelterless during the last two years.
The WDB often takes up programmes for dumping sandbags to prevent erosion, especially in the rainy season, speakers at the human chain said.
Last year, local people erected bamboo barriers and dumped sandbags on self-help basis to control erosion, but all the structures got washed away by the surging water in the rainy season, said Khorshed Ali Khan, convener of Sangram Committee.
Last week, around 110 families lost their homesteads and croplands as the rushing water engulfed large chunks of the river bank. The onslaught of the river is still going on along the western bank of Katlamari village, said Shakwat Hossain, member of the union parishad.
"My three bighas of cultivable land were eroded last month, and now my homestead is threatened," said freedom fighter Nazrul Islam.
"Erosion has taken alarming turn along 1000 metres of the river bank, large areas are being devoured everyday," said Abdul Baki a social worker.
The speakers at the human chain announced they would launch a march from Katlamari to the house of Deputy Speaker Advocate Fazley Rabbi Mia, MP, demanding permanent steps to stop erosion.
"A master plan is essential to permanently protect vast tracts of croplands, homesteads, educational institutions, markets, mosques and temples from erosion," said Habibur Rahman, upazila chairman of Fulchhari upazila.
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