Villagers join hands to thwart river erosion, finally

Villagers erect bamboo spars and dump sandbags at the erosion-hit point in Gobindi area under Saghata upazila of Gaibandha on self-help basis to protect their homesteads and cropland from further onslaught of the river Jamuna. Photo: Star

People of three villages in Saghata upazila have finally joined hands to protect themselves from the erosion by the River Jamuna as their appeals for years fell on deaf ears of the authorities concerned.
More than 700 families of Gobindi, Bashhatta and Bharatkhali villages were rendered homeless by the river in the last one week.
Apart from this, the river devoured a number of structures and vast farmlands during the period.
Local lawmaker Fazle Rabbi Mia inaugurated the work of dumping sand bags at erosion-prone points at Gobindi village on Saturday.
The erosion also threatened a biggest cattle market, a temple and around 20 educational institutions in the areas, said Farukul Islam, convener of erosion protection committee.
For long the villagers made appeals to the district Water Development Board (WDB) to take steps to protect them from erosion but to no effect.
Finding no other alternatives, they decided to voluntarily erect bamboo spars at the erosion-hit points on Saturday and dump sand bags, said Mosharraf Hossain Sweet, chairman of Saghata union parishad.
Besides, SKS Foundation, a local NGO and Puja Udjapon Committee extended financial help to continue the drive.
The authorities have already written to the ministry concerned for funds to take steps to stop erosion, said the lawmaker.