Erosion makes 32 families homeless in a week

Erosion by the Brahamputra River has taken a serious turn in Hatia union under Ulipur upazila of Kurigram district. Photo: STAR

River erosion has made at least 32 families of two villages under Ulipur upazila of the district homeless in a week.
The affected villages are Gaburjan and Anantapur under Hatia union. At least 142 members of the 32 families have taken shelter on an embankment, schools and their relatives' house in adjacent villages.
Locals said the erosion by the river Brahmaputra took a serious turn due to heavy pressure of water from upstream and devoured the two char villages in a week.
They said a 350-metre long embankment, Hatia Bazar, Hatia Union Parishad office, Hatia health complex, Bagua Anantapur School and College, Bagua Anantapur Government Primary School, Hatia Girls' High School and Hatia flood shelter centre are still under threat of erosion.
Erosion victims Kushnath Das, Rafiqul Islam, Ekabbar Ali, Rajnarayan and Kalipada das of Anantapur village said they have lost their homesteads to the river within 48 hours. They have taken shelter with their families on the embankment and are yet to get any help from the government.
Contacted, Hatia Union Chairman Md Emdad Hossain said he has prepared a list of the affected families and will submit it (list) to the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) soon.
Lawmaker from Kurigram-3 (Ulipur) constituency AKM Maidul Islam has visited the affected areas. He also sent a letter to the water resources ministry, seeking necessary help to check river erosion.