People look on as turbulent Meghna continues to devour areas at Jafrabad in Chandpur Sadar upazila yesterday, right, affected people shifting parts of houses and other belongings as they move to safer places. Photo: STAR

Erosion by the river Meghna has taken a serious turn much ahead of the rainy season in two upazilas of Chandpur, rendering over 200 families homeless.
The affected areas are Jafarabad, Sakuria and Ibrahimpur under Chandpur Sadar upazila and Char Bhairabi, Char Krisnanagar and Gazinagar under Haimchar upazila.
Big cracks have developed at different points and the river is devouring dwelling houses in the twinkling of an eye.
As river erosion is intensifying and no step has yet been taken to arrest it, people of these areas are shifting their houses to safer places and also taking shelter elsewhere.
During a visit to Jafrabad under Sadar upazila on Tuesday, this correspondent found the people of the area are shifting their houses to nearby nearby Ramdasdi and Chandra.
Hasina Akhter, a student of Puranbazar Degree College, said as the situation is getting worse their house is about to go into the riverbed. Her neighbour Moni Begum said they have lost everything. Now they have nowhere to go.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Priyotosh Saha and Water Development Board (WDB) Executive Engineer Jibon Krishna Das yesterday visited the erosion-hit areas.
As per directives of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, the local administration has started throwing sandbags in the erosion-hit areas as a temporary measure to check further erosion, the DC said.
Engineer Jibon Krishna said a project has been prepared to protect river bank on 4.4-km area from Ibrahimpur to Sakhua which is awaiting approval of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec).