‘Sandbags won’t save us’

A sudden and severe erosion has struck an approximately one-km stretch of the Jamuna river in Soharabari area of Bogura's Dhunat upazila.

The erosion intensified sharply from Wednesday noon. So far, four local shops have been swept away by the river.

Local residents are in a state of panic and have begun relocating, with ten families already moving their belongings to safer areas.

In addition to the shops and houses, around 60 bigha of cultivable land have been lost to the river's fury.

To combat the erosion, the Water Development Board (WDB) began dumping geo-bags at the site this morning.

Photo: Mostafa Shabuj

According to locals, the water level upstream has been rising rapidly over the past few days, triggering severe erosion since Wednesday afternoon.

"We don't want any temporary measures. Sandbags won't be enough to stop this erosion," said Sakina Begum, a resident of Soharabari village.

Nazarul Islam, a resident of Gosaibari, said, "If a permanent embankment with concrete blocks isn't built, around 500 families in Soharabari village will lose their homes and farmland, and be left destitute."

Photo: Mostafa Shabuj

Rafiqul Islam, a local farmer, claimed, "Erosion started here a long time ago, but the Water Development Board didn't take any action. Now, as the erosion has become severe, they are placing sandbags. How can these stop the erosion?"

Talking to this correspondent, Nazmul Haque, executive engineer of the Bogura Water Development Board, said, "We have started damping 7,500 geo-bags and 1,500 geo-tubes to prevent the erosion. We hope this will stop further damage."

Regarding a permanent solution, he said, "We have submitted a Development Project Proposal (DPP) for almost 8 kms to prevent Jamuna river erosion in Sariakandi, Dhunat and Sonatala upazilas. If this is approved, it will be possible to build a permanent embankment with CC blocks here."

However, locals alleged that such severe erosion has occurred due to unplanned sand extraction from the river.

In response to this allegation, Sub-assistant Engineer Liton Ali said, "There is one government-leased sand quarry here. Preventing unplanned sand extraction is the responsibility of the local administration."