Swelling rivers devour lands

Baleshwar river devoured 1.5 km of the dyke at 35/1 polder of Water Development Board (WDB) in Sharankhola upazila of Bagerhat, erosion of river banks has started in Khagrachhari, erosion by Padma and Arial Kha rivers has turned serious in Sadarpur upazila of Faridpur, and erosion by the Pungli river is threatening an under-construction bridge in Kalihati upazila of Tangail.

Locals said a stretch of the dyke from Bogi village adjacent to Asar-Alo Mosque in Southkhali union has been devoured by the river, and tidal water has entered eight villages in the union, our Bagerhat correspondent reports.

Farmers Rauf Hawlader and Abdur Razzak of Bogi village said preparation of Aman seedbeds is being hampered, putting Aman cultivation in uncertainty.

Coastal Embankment Improvement Project Engineer Shymal Dutta said they will temporarily build a ring embankment to protect the area.

Erosion of riverbanks has started in Khagrachhari, damaging houses, crop fields and roads, reports our Khagrachhari correspondent.

Feni Chara, Chengi and Maini rivers wash away many houses, crop fields and roads every rainy season, locals said.

The Padma at Charmanair village in Sadarpur upazila of Faridpur, Photo: Star

Erosion has started in Juboraj Para, rubber factory area, Khandapuriya, Paltanjoy Para, Ganjparha, Rajyamuni Para, Golabari, Football and Kamalchhari on the Chengi river in Sadar upazila.

A crematorium and the road to Kaladeva at Golabari in the town are under threat while the road connecting three villages has gone into the river.

District Sub-assistant Engineer Nikhil Chakma said they will place concrete blocks in 25 spots. They have sent a proposal to the ministry concerned for dredging 90 kilometres of the river.

Erosion by the Padma and Arial Kha rivers has affected 12 villages in three unions under Sadarpur upazila of Faridpur for the last seven days, our correspondent reports.

Local said about 60 acres of croplands have been washed away by the Padma and Arial Kha rivers from Charmanair, Charnasirpur and Dheukhali unions of Sadarpur upazila.

Char Bondorkhola Fajil Madrasa, Char Bondorkhola Nadaria Government Primary School, a community hospital and the building of Charmanair Union Parishad are under threat, they said.

The Baleshwar river in Sharankhola upazila of Bagerhat. Photo: Star

The eroded areas include  28 acres of cropland in Charnasirpur union, 17 acres in Charmanair union and 15 acres in Dheukhali union, said the chairmen of the union parishads concerned.

Erosion by the Pungli river is threatening two dykes and an under-construction bridge on Dhaka-Tangail highway in Kalihati upazila, reports our Tangail correspondent.

Another bridge on the road and a section of the railway to Bangabandhu Bridge are also under threat.

The Pungli beside an under-construction bridge on Dhaka-Tangail road in Kalihati upazila of Tangail, Photo: Star

Over 600 metres of land at Mohela and Fatikjani villages under Elenga municipality, and Sohodevpur union in Kalihati upazila, have already been devoured by the river, locals said.

Many houses, Charan-Lakkhibasa dyke-cum road, a government primary school, a madrasa, an Eidgah and a graveyard are under threat.

Over 800 metres of land in Agbethoir, Pachhbethoir and Shalina villages under Gala union in Sadar upazila have been devoured by the river, putting the town protection dyke under threat, locals said.