75 metres of Baniajan spar built to protect Jamuna dam collapse

OUR CORRESPONDENT | August 23, 2021 00:00:00

A partial view of collapsed Baniajan Spar under Dhunot upazila in Bogura — FE Photo

BOGURA, Aug 22: A total 75-meter section of Baniajan spar built to protect the Jamuna dam has collapsed in Bogura, causing untold agony to the inhabitants of low-lying Dhunot upazila.

The damage started in the third phase with the stream of the mighty Jamuna River. Another 25-meter section of the Baniajan spar, built to protect the Jamuna Dam, has collapsed and disappeared into the riverbed.

With this, about 75 metres of the spar have disappeared in the river. As a result, populated areas including flood-control dams are at risk of erosion as a char emerged in the middle of the river. A few days ago some 20-meter section of the spar collapsed.

The Water Development Board constructed the spar at a cost of Tk 110 million in 2003 to prevent erosion of the river Jamuna flowing through the eastern side of Bhandarbari Union of the upazila. Since then on, the spar has been safe as the river was flowing far away.

The Water Development Board started repair work there. However, during the repair work, another 30 metres of spar along with that part broke and disappeared into the river. The 75-meter part of the spar has disappeared in three phases.

The upper part of the spar is completely submerged in the river and there is a risk of erosion. Locals fear that the tip of the spar will disappear into the river if the current rises.

Local farmers and inhabitants said the WDB is doing slow repairs the site of the collapse. Due to the strong pressure of water, the spar is breaking again and again and disappearing into the river. If the Water Development Board had carried out sustainable repair in time, the spar would not have broken down again and again and government money would not have been wasted, they added.

Superintending engineer of Water Development Board Tariq Abdullah Fayaz said, ‘Efforts were being made relentlessly to prevent the erosion of the Baniajan spar. But as the water level rises, the spar does not stay in the strong current’.

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