Erosion by Madhumati, Nabaganga rivers wreaking dire devastation

BENAPOLE, Oct 15: Severe erosion by the Madhumati and Nabaganga rivers has caused widespread destruction and damage in a number of localities in Narail's Lohagara and Kalia upazilas.

In Lohagara's Joypur union, the Maulvi Dhanaid-Morichpasha regional road is on the verge of being washed away, while in Kalia, several shops at Parbinchpur Bazar have already been devoured by the Nabaganga.

The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has launched emergency protection work, but locals say temporary measures are not enough - without a permanent embankment, Narail cannot be saved.

A visit to the affected areas revealed that large portions of the riverbank-side road in Chachai and Dhanaid under Joypur union have already collapsed into the Madhumati. BWDB workers were seen dumping geo-bags along the remaining parts to prevent further erosion.

Local farmer Ohidar Rahman said, "All of a sudden, the Madhumati started eating away at our main road. Every day we travel in fear. We still have a little hope because the water board has started work quickly."

Nazmul Huda, a resident of Chachai village, added, "They are dumping sandbags, but that's not a long-term solution. Without a permanent embankment, this road will disappear one day. Thousands of people will be cut off."

Another farmer, Rahim Molla of Dhanaid village, said, "It's not just roads or shops that are lost - it's our sense of security. We have been suffering losses year after year; yet there's no lasting solution."

In Parbinchpur under Kalia upazila, at least ten shops - including tea stalls, grocery stores, and cosmetics shops - were swallowed by the Nabaganga overnight, leaving small traders destitute.

Dilruba Begum, a local tea stall owner whose shop was engulfed by the river, said tearfully, "This little shop was how I fed my family for years. Now it's gone. How will I feed my children?"

Another shopkeeper, Md. Saiful Islam, said, "Every year they take temporary measures, but the river comes back stronger. Without a permanent embankment, our future is bleak."

Affected traders and farmers said that every year, even light rains trigger erosion. Yet without sustainable protection, their homes, crops, and livelihoods keep vanishing into the rivers.

Abhijit Kumar Saha, executive engineer of the Narail Water Development Board, said, "Erosion has taken a serious turn in Chachai and Dhanaid under Lohagara, as well as in Parbinchpur under Kalia. We have already started dumping geo-bags on an emergency basis, and the rate of erosion has slowed somewhat. A project proposal for permanent embankment construction is under process."

He added, "River erosion is no longer a seasonal issue - it's also linked to climate change. We're taking long-term plans to protect these vulnerable areas in a sustainable way."

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