Brahmaputra continues devouring houses, land
Erosion by the Brahmaputra river has taken a serous turn recently and continued devouring homesteads and croplands in different areas in Sadar upazila.
Due to the situation, hundreds of families in different food affected areas have been passing their days in fear of losing their homesteads, croplands and other belongings to the river.
As a result, around 200 families in Japarkanda, Rehai Tarapur, Senerchar and Astadhar areas in Sadar upazila have already shifted their houses to other places, locals said.
On Sunday, hundreds of flood affected victims, living in different areas for years, formed a human chain along the river bank, demanding immediate steps by the authorities concerned to save their homesteads and croplands.
Former chairman of Astadhar union parishad (UP) Abdul Kader, Freedom Fighter Ishraq Ali Ansari and AL leader Mohammd Saifuddin spoke on the occasion.
Speaker at the rally said although their homesteads and farmlands are being devoured by the river every day, no proper step has been taken yet.
Astadhar UP member Bablu Mia said the Brahmaputra river devoured over 200 acres of croplands at Japarkanda village since 2015 till last year.
Besides, many educational institutions also went into the river womb during this period, ex-UP chairman Kader said.
“I have lost three acres of land in the river and cow rearing is my only means to survival now,” Bablu said, adding that his cattle farm also might eroded anytime.
Astadhar UP Chairman Tareq Hasan Mukta said some 300 families have moved to other places in last two years due to river erosion.
If steps are not taken immediately, rest of the locality might devour soon, lamented the chairman.
Executive Engineer of Mymensingh Water Development Board (WDB) Mohammad Zahurul Islam said separate project proposals of Tk 900 crore have already been sent to the ministry concerned for approval.
The situation can take a serious turn as on rush of water from the hills across the border started entering the areas in recent days, the engineer said.
In a bid to tackle the ongoing erosion, WDB has been dumping sand bags on an emergency basis at Japarkanda in Sadar upazila and Moricharchar in Ishwarganj upazila, added the engineer.
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