Boat only transport for 90 Sunamganj villages

Familiar to generations of Bangladeshi school-goers, 'A Journey by Boat' is a common passage and essay topic. But in Sunamganj these days it's more than an abstract lesson. In around 90 villages of 3 upazilas, for students and the community at large, boat is currently the only means of transport.

As a result of the rainy season and perilous flooding, boats have been selling like hot cakes in Sunamganj over the past few weeks, and not all are especially seaworthy. Yet, anticipating that floodwaters will not recede any time soon, boats are popular.

 “We can't use the Nabinagar – Sunamganj Road,” says rickshaw puller Munim Ali from Nabinagar village in sadar upazila. “It's been devoured by the river. We have to travel by boat.”

“We haven't been able to attend class for six days,” says Class VIII student Sohag Islam, of Elahi Box High School in Tahirpur upazila, “because our school is across the river and it's difficult to cross.”

Surma River boatman Mojnu meanwhile says he and his colleagues are reaping good profits due to high water levels. “When water is low we lose money,” he says. But customers are not pleased.

“We are forced to pay hiked boat fares,” complains one passenger, Mobrul Hosain from Tahirpur upazila. “We have no alternative to reach Sunamganj town.”

Another passenger agrees. “The boatmen often misbehave if anyone refuses to pay their increased fares,” says Sirazul Islam from Doarabazar upazila. “I have used this route regularly for the last 3 years but even I do not escape harassment for higher ticket prices.”

But there is no alternative, he adds.

According to Sirazul, some villagers are calling for the establishment of a government sponsored boat service until the water recedes, but there has been no response from the government.

Doarabazar upazila chairman M Idris Ali says 5 unions in the upazila have been forced to rely on boats as transport for the past week or so. “Anybody going to office, school or college or for business purpose must use a boat,” he says, “If government sponsored services were available fares could be kept in check to the benefit of locals.”

The upazila nirbahi officer of Tahirpur upazila, Mohammad Khaledur Rahman says such a government sponsored initiative isn't easy to implement but if locals demand it the administration must take action.

The cost of inflated fares is particularly onerous on the poor, who previously travelled on foot. “To reach Sunamganj sadar from Doarabazar town now costs at least Tk 100,” says NGO staffer Sajal Rozirio.

For some who cannot afford such “luxury” the only option is to choose makeshift vessels made from bamboo sticks or banana trees.

Many locals also blame the Water Development Board for the crisis, alleging it has not taken any action to reduce or control the floodwaters. The board's deputy divisional engineer Dipok Kumar Das says a lack of funds is impeding their efforts to take effective flood control measures.

But he hoped the situation would improve if the government allocates funds for the purpose.

Barrister Enamul Haque Imon who works for the Sunamganj district administration says, however, that higher authorities have been informed about the issue. He further alleges that the Water Development Board's inaction has less to do with a lack of funds and more to do with fund mismanagement and corruption.

Perhaps along with the poor those who suffer the most are students. According to district primary education officer in Sunamganj, Hazrat Ali, during a recent field visit he observed most students only had the option of boat if they wanted to attend class.

“The Jadukata, Cholti, Surma Rivers and Tanguar Haor continue to swell,” he says. “It's really risky for students since most of the boats that carry them are not at all seaworthy vessels.”

For now the students and general public of Sunamganj are learning a new lesson: while in the textbook 'A Journey by Boat' might be a curiosity, in reality it's all too often burdensome.