Erosion threatens Cox's Bazar beach

COX'S BAZAR, Sept 24: About 15 kilometres of the embankment along the Cox's Bazar sea beach are now at risk of disappearing due to continued erosion.

The areas of the coastal zone that face significant erosion include Shahpari's island in Teknaf, Maheshkhali's Ghatibhanga, Baddia, Dhalghata, Matarbari, Pekua's Uzantia Magnama, Rajakhali and Qutubdia.

According to experts, climate change and man-made causes are having a severe impact on Cox's Bazar. Due to an increase in sea-water level, the sea shore is eroding remarkably.

Environmental scientist Dr Ansharul Karim said, "Mangrove forests are being cut down across the coast and shrimp enclosures are being built in their place. Multi-storey buildings are being constructed by extracting sand from the sea surface and by filling the low areas."

"Due to climate change, sea erosion has taken a serious turn," he added.

Last year, more than a hundred homesteads, mosques, madrasas and 200 acres of cultivable land were gobbled up by the sea.

Dr Abdur Rahman, Divisional Officer of Chittagong Coastal Forest Department, said, "Mangrove trees have been planted on the sea shore so that it can be protected from erosion. However, a group of people is destroying these trees and forests to build shrimp enclosures,"

Visiting the beach, this correspondent has found the forests that protect Cox's Bazar beach are disappearing fast.

Environmental scientist Dr Ansharul Karim also said, "If effective steps are not taken immediately, it will be impossible to protect the coastal zones of Cox's Bazar from erosion."

Executive Engineer of Cox's Bazar Water Development Board Tanzir Saeed Ahmed said that sand-filled tubes or geo bags are being placed in high-risk areas.

"It is a successful process of saving coastal areas. We have had good results especially in places like Naziratek and Samiti Para," he added.

"Geo-bags have been dumped along the beach from Naziratek to Kabita Chatwar, which is around seven kilometres. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has also decided to build a sustainable embankment in various places of Teknaf," he also said.

The BWDB official added that the process of constructing embankment is going on in the risky areas.

[email protected]