Human chain seeks remedy for river erosion in Chandpur

Hundreds rally for a permanent dyke

FE Team | Published: June 29, 2024 21:32:18

OUR CORRESPONDENT
CHANDPUR, June 29: Several hundred people from all walks of life formed a human chain in Haimchar upazila of the district on Friday demanding construction of a permanent dam to stop erosion onslaughts of the Meghna River.
They held the programme at the eroding point of the river at Eashanbala Bazar in Nilkomol union of the upazila.
Erosion by the mighty river is a persistent problem at Eashanbala village and Eashanbala Bazar in Nilkomol union, where there live around 20,000 people.
Sources said unabated erosion by the Meghna has engulfed several hundred houses, shops, valuable trees and establishments in the neighbourhood in the last few months.
At the human chain, Union Parishad Chairman Saud Al Nasser, ward member Khalil Matobbor, schoolteacher Nuruzzaman Shikder, businessman Abul Kalam Bepari and others narrated their sorrows and sufferings due to river erosion.
UP Chairman Saud Al Nasser said, "Homesteads, shops, trees and different building structures on a vast tract of land have entered the gorge of the river in the past few months. But affected people are passing their days extremely helpless. They have nothing to do but to play the role of silent spectators."
"Time and again they have approached the local lawmaker and government authorities seeking permanent remedy for the river erosion but to no effect," he added.
Last year too, affected homeless and helpless people taking students and teachers organised a human chain at the same erosion site and demanded of the higher authorities to quickly build a permanent dam for their relief but in vain, said participants at the event.
Many people have lost their homes and hearths 6/7 times to the Meghna, they commented.
Participants at the human chain called upon Social Welfare Minister Dr Dipu Moni, also the local lawmaker (Chandpur-Haimchar constituency) to take immediate steps to save Eashanbala and other vulnerable areas of Nilkomol union from the river erosion. There are about 50,000 people living in this union.
The demonstrators said if a permanent dam is constructed along the three-km area around the union, everything will be saved from erosion. No people will be rendered homeless.
Meanwhile, local residents formed another human chain at Jaliarchar in Char Bhoirovi union beside the Meghna riverbank in Haimchar Upazila on Thursday noon seeking an end to the perennial problem of erosion by the river Meghna.
Jaliarchar has become a vulnerable area, (right from Mohsin Haolader Bari up to Manik Sarder's home's ghat) and so many houses and valuable lands, trees and properties have been eroded by the river rendering many people homeless.
Speakers at the event said if 500 metre-area at Jaliarchar is protected by constructing an extended dam from Haimchar Sadar area by the Water Development Board, hundreds of people and families will be saved from erosion by the Meghna.
Upazila Chairman Noor Hossain Patwary, also a leading AL leader, assured that he would apprise Dr Dipu Moni about the river erosion situation and try to take quick steps to build a dam here so that the people can live in peace in Jaliarchar area.
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