Erosion hits six riverside villages in Manikganj

Erosion by Kaliganga River has taken a serious turn in Narchi-Shyamnagar and a few other areas of Poila union in Ghior upazila under Manikganj district. Photo: STAR

People of six villages in Poyla union under Ghior upazila formed a human chain at Begun Narchi village yesterday demanding immediate steps to save the villages from erosion by the Kaliganga River.
The villages are Narchi, Begun Narchi, Basudeb Bari, Sreedharnagar,
Ragunathpur and Shindhunagar.
About 250 people including chairmen, former chairmen, ward members, ward members for women reserved seats, joined the human chain beside the Kaliganga River at around 12:00 noon.
Addressing a rally at the venue, the speakers said the river devoured hundreds of houses, damaged half a kilometre of pucca road this year. Last year, Begun Narchi village and about a kilometer of road went into the river.
Bahej Uddin, a villager at Sreedharnagar said hundreds of people of Begun Narchi village took shelter in the neighbouring villages as their village went into the riverbed last year.
At present, Purba Begun Narchi Government Primary School, Narchi-Shyamnagar Road, Sreedharnagar Bazaar, Begun Narchi Eidgaon ground and more than 500 houses are under threat of erosion.
Abdul Majid, a villager at Chhoto Raghunathpur, said the government had allocated Tk50 lakh for checking river erosion. But the contractors dumped only some sacks of sand.
Asar Uddin, another villager at Basudeb Bari, said 1.4 acres of his crop land went under the river this year. Poyla union parishad (UP) chairman Abdul Khalek said he had informed the matter to Ghior upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) but in vain.
Ali Bhuiyan, former chairman of the UP Ahammad said the government had allocated huge money for checking river erosion. But, a section of influentials including lawmakers, local politicians and local administration officials are misappropriating the money in name of work.
Shukur Mandal, a member of Ward No-2 and Firoza Begum, a member of women reserved seat at Ward No-1 and locals addressed the rally. They demanded immediate steps to protect the areas from the erosion.
Contacted, Ghior UNO Raza Mohammad Abdul Hye said that he had written to the authorities concerned to take necessary steps for protection of the areas from river erosion, but to no avail.
Contacted, local lawmaker ABM Anwarul Haque said he is trying to do everything for protection of the vulnerable areas from erosion.