Teesta turns furious, devours homesteads, croplands in Rangpur

The Teesta devours part of a two-storey Dhusmara Government Primary School in Kaunia upazila of Rangpur district as erosion by the river has taken an alarming turn in the area. Photo: Star

Erosion by the River Teesta took a serious turn in Kaunia upazila in the last five days, devouring at least 100 homesteads and a vast tract of cropland at Dhusmara Char village in Balapara union.

Besides, a part of two-storied Dhusmara Government Primary School, the only educational institution at the village, went into the river.

“Scores of houses and 100 acres of arable land in the area have gone into the river due to its furious onslaught,” said Nurul Haque, chairman of Balapara union parishad.

The whole village is now under erosion threat, he said.

“If the erosion continues for few more days, the entire school building will go into the river,” said Anisur Rahman, a resident of the village.

The school was about a kilometre away last year, he said.

Nazrul Islam, chairman of Dhusmara Government Primary School Managing Committee, told this correspondent that they informed Water Development Board (WDB) authorities about the condition of the institution.

Despite repeated pleas, the authorities are yet to take any steps to save the school from erosion, said headmaster Rezaul Islam Muku.

Kaunia Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Abdul Motaleb said they wrote to local WDB to take immediate steps to thwart the erosion.