Homes lost, families displaced

Erosion by the Jamuna has hit riverside villages in Tangail's Nagarpur upazila hard.

The worst affected areas are Balarampur in Dhuburia union, Nishchitpur in Doptior union and Khash Ghunipara in Solimabad union.

Many families of the villages have already lost their homes to the river while others have shifted to other places.

Besides, local roads, culvert, other structures and vast tracks of croplands in the affected areas have also been devoured by the river, they said.

Local administration, however, assured them of taking necessary steps in this regard.

During a visit, this correspondent saw that in the face of erosion, several families, including those who lived in concrete houses in the worst affected Balarampur village under Dhuburia union were shifting to other places.

Ramjan Sheikh, Rashida Begum and Moazzem Hossain from Balarampur said almost all of the villagers are now in panic as the river might devour their homes.

On the other hand, Balarampur Government Primary School near the riverside will soon go underwater if necessary protective measures are not taken immediately.

Monirul Islam, assistant teacher of the school, said the erosion has turned so serious that the school can go under the river within the next few days.

He fears that once that happens, the local children's education will be greatly affected.

Shafiqul Islam Shakil, chairman of Dhuburia Union Parishad, said echoed him.

Md Waheduzzaman, upazila nirbahi officer in Nagarpur, said necessary steps will be taken immediately in this regard.

Ershad Miah, an activist of Nagarpur, said the mighty Jamuna has been devouring localities one after another for the last few years, taking away the homes of riverside people and turning the upazila smaller.

"Although the authorities as well as local representatives assured them on many occasions of constructing a dam as a permanent solution, nothing has been done," he added.

Contacted, Md Sazzad Hossain, executive engineer of Water Development Board in Tangail, said they will take possible protective measures after visiting the affected areas.

"For a permanent solution, we have already readied a project proposal in this regard. A feasibility study in this regard is under process," he added.