MANIKGANJ, June 10 (UNB): The three-storey building of Bharanga Government Primary School in Manikganj has collapsed into the Jamuna River due to severe erosion caused by strong river currents.
Md Khorshed Alam, Executive Engineer at the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Manikganj, said the school disappeared into the mighty river on Saturday afternoon.
Locals said the water level of the Jamuna had risen significantly in recent days, resulting in a powerful flow that led to erosion along the riverbank.
Wazed Ali Sarkar, member of Ward No. 5 under Bachamara Union, said while some furniture, including chairs and table, was saved, heavier items such as steel furniture could not be salvaged.
Nahiyan Nuren, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Daulatpur, said after being alerted about the erosion on Friday, a local engineer was sent to inspect the school.
More news from Sunamganj adds: With the advent of the monsoon, riverbank erosion along the Surma has intensified alarmingly, posing a grave threat to the Chatak-Andhariganj-Sunamganj road, a vital communication lifeline for thousands in the region.
Local residents have voiced growing concerns that large sections of the road may collapse into the river at any time, severing a crucial transport route that links several communities.
The road, already weakened by the devastating floods of 2022, had shown some signs of recovery after repair works commenced in late 2024 under the supervision of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).
But, a fresh erosion is now rapidly undoing those efforts.
A recent visit by the news agency correspondent revealed that the erosion has reached an alarming stage near the mazar (shrine) adjacent to Mallikpur Government Primary School.
Over the past three to four days, the river has edged perilously close to the paved sections of the road.
The situation has worsened with the partial collapse of the western approach to the Machukhali Bridge, heightening fears of a major accident if immediate protective interventions are not made.
Locals have reported visible cracks in the newly repaired stretches of the road, with some parts already beginning to subside.
"The road is at high risk of being washed away, which would leave the surrounding communities completely cut off," said a resident of Mallikpur.
People from Mallikpur and Machukhali have appealed to the authorities to act without delay. They are calling for strong, lasting measures to curb the erosion and protect the road from further degradation.
