Erosion victims take shelter on dyke, road in Lalmonirhat

Homeless due to erosion by Teesta and Dharla rivers, people build makeshift huts on the embankment of Water Development Board at Mogholhat village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.Photo: STAR

Erosion by Teesta and Dharla rivers devoured over 150 homesteads of eight villages in Hatibandha and Sadar upazilas in the last three days.
Most of the victims took shelter on Water Development Board dyke and government roads.
Commerce Minister GM Quader MP who visited the villages on Saturday noon, asked the WDB officials to take emergency steps to check the erosion.
The erosion-hit villages are Khuniyagachh, Kalmati, Teesta, Shiberkuti, Mogholhat in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila and Sindurna and Dhupni under Hatibandha upazila.
Tobarok Munsi, 65, of Shiberkuiti village in sadar upazila, said his homestead was devoured for the fourth time by Dharla this year.
"I lost my homestead on Saturday morning again and now staying at a make-shift house on the WDB dyke in the village, he said.
Many other victims said that their family members also took shelter on WDB dyke as the Dharla river eroded their homesteads, croplands and orchards.
Monoranjon Barmon, 60, said he lost his homestead for the second time Sunday noon. As he had no more land he was building house on the dyke to live along with four of his family.
"The Dharla took away my ten bighas croplands in the last few years and the river finally made me homeless yesterday," he said.
Sanowar Miah, 55, of Sindurna in Hatibandha upazila, said the erosion by Teesta took a serious turn in the village, eroding scores of homesteads and vast croplands.
Many villagers have taken shelter on WDB dyke and government roads in the village after losing their homesteads in the last three days, he said.
Sindurna UP chairman Khotib Uddin told this correspondent that at least 80 families were rendered homeless by Teesta at two villages of his union in the last 36 hours.
The families of the victims took shelter on dyke or road as they became landless.
Executive engineer of Lalmonirhat WDB Enayet Ullah said, they sent a letter to the authorities concerned seeking fund for steps to stop the erosion.
We will start the work soon after getting the fund, he said.