Launch terminal goes into river in Barisal

Erosion by the Pungli River, a tributary of the mighty Jamuna River, has turned serious in Kalihati upazila of Tangail. In Barisal, the Tetulia River has washed away  many establishments and the launch terminal at Sreepur union under Mehendiganj upazila.

In Kalihati upazila of Tangail, over 100 dwelling houses and vast areas of farmland at Beltia, Shamshoil, Alipur, Afzalpur, Binod Luhuria, Biara Marua, Kurshabenu, Benukursha, Jokarchar, Mir Hamjani, Hatia, Mogra, Tikuriapara and Bashi villages have gone into the river bed since the beginning of the rainy season, reports our correspondent.

The erosion affected families have taken shelter in others people's houses or under the open sky, and are living in utter misery.

Fazlul Haque, 70, of Shamshoil village, said though he and many others of the village have lost everything, including their homesteads, none from any quarter has looked after them so far.

Osman Gani, 28, of Gohaliabari village, said though the area has been affected by the serious erosion and local people have lost their homesteads and farmlands every year, no measures have been taken as yet to check the erosion.

After visiting the erosion affected areas on Saturday, Abu Nasar Uddin, upazila nirbahi officer of Kalihati, told journalists that they have made lists of the affected people in the area for providing them necessary support.

“Money and corrugated tin to build houses were distributed among some of the erosion affected people a few weeks ago,” he added.

Shahjahan Siraj, executive engineer of water development board (WDB) in Tangail, said, “We have prepared a project to carry out emergency protection work at 12 spots from Tikuriapara in Kalihati upazila to Kashil in Basail upazila to check erosion. It has been sent to the ministry. The work will be started after getting approval.”

The people of the affected villages alleged that the erosion has turned serious for the last few years due to sand lifting sand from the rivers by influential quarters.

Our Barisal correspondent reports: In Sreepur village under Mehendiganj upazila of the district, the Tetulia River has washed away the launch terminal and around 100 establishments, including bazars, homesteads and farmlands, in the last one month.

While this correspondent was visiting Sreepur bazar, he saw 100 metres of land, including a furniture shop, being washed away suddenly.

“We have lost everything, now we have nothing to start our business with,” said Jakir Hossain, a victim of erosion, told this correspondent.

Dilip Paal, a victim, said, “We had to transfer everything from Paal Para due to river erosion.”

Suvadara Rani Bepari, a seventy-year-old woman of Sreepur bazar, said, “We transferred our houses twice.”

Mohammad Alam was crying on seeing his mother's and son's graves washed away by the Tetulia yesterday.

Locals said the Sreepur launch terminal and bazar area were eroded in a week, and if erosion continued the whole bazar would be gone.

Kazi Md Alimulla, upazila nirbahi officer of Mehendiganj, said erosion started from the last month. “We have requested the deputy commissioner to send emergency relief materials soon.”