Gone with erosion

Four months ago, Nesar Uddin (65) had a homestead, arable land and an orchard. But now there exists nothing. Nesar along with his seven-member family has taken shelter on the land of others. The family is now passing their days amid hardship and starvation.

Farmer Nesar Uddin of Gatiyashyam village in Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram district now stares at the place which used to be his homestead and cultivable land and what he now sees in the place is the devouring Teesta.

Farmers Jabedul Isram, Akhirul Issam, Abedul Islam and Alamgir Hossain were seen in a sombre mood like Nesar Uddin in the same area of the Teesta shoal. They all were staring at a bleak future losing all their belongings to a forever hungry river.

Nesar Uddin said that he has lost his homestead and 10 bighas of arable land to the Teesta river and he had to witness the devastation helplessly. Even a few months ago, he used to hire labourers to work on his land and now he runs to other people's doors in search of work.

"The river Teesta has taken away everything of mine. It has shattered my dreams," he said.

Farmer Jabedul Islam said in an emotion choked voice said that he had a happy family even five months ago. All their smiles and joys have been washed away by the furious river.

Jabedul has lost 12 bighas of cultivable land and his homestead to the Teesta riverbed.

Now his family has taken shelter on a relative's land. 'I can't sleep peacefully at night. I could never have imagined that I would lose everything to a hungry Teesta,' he said.

According to the District Relief and Rehabilitation Office, around 10,000 families have lost their homes due to the erosion of Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Dudhkumar and Gangadhar rivers at 90 points in 14 upazilas of Kurigram and Lalmonirhat in the last five months. A vast tract of cultivable land and many establishments have gone into the rivers.

Abdul Malek, 56, a farmer from Gatiyashyam village, said that the erosion of the Teesta river did not stop even in winter. Every day cultivable land is going to the stomach of the river.

"My homestead is under threat and it can be washed away at any moment. My seven bighas of cultivable land have already gone into Teesta riverbed over the last few months," he said.

Mizanur Rahman, executive engineer of Water Development Board (WDB) in Lalmonirhat, said that the erosion of the Teesta river is being seen in some places even in winter. However, as there is not much water in the river, the erosion will not be that severe.

Preventive measures will be taken soon in the places affected by erosion so that it does not take a serious turn during monsoon, said the WDB official.