GAIBANDHA, Jan 31: Voters in the char (shoal) areas of Gaibandha district are demanding a tangible and sustainable plan to combat river erosion, turning down any empty promises by the electoral candidates.
Although commitments were made several times by the candidates during the past elections to take sustainable measures to prevent river erosion in 165 char areas of four upazilas of the district, local residents did not see those to come into reality.
Like in the past, this time too, with the 13th parliament election approaching, candidates'travelling to the char areas as part of mass contact has increased.
They are making various promises in meetings and rallies to end the local people's sufferings through stopping river erosion.
However, this time, the people of the Teesta, Brahmaputra and Jamuna char areas in Sadar, Sundarganj, Fulchhari and Saghata upazilas have raised voice for a real plan, not assurance, to bring an end to their woes by solving river erosion.
They said that vote in the char areas now depends on scientific river dredging, erosion prevention and construction of bridges or tunnels on the Brahmaputra River.
"Development comes into discussion only when it is time for voting," laments a local resident, saying, "For the people of the char region, development is not a slogan; it is a question of survival."
This time, the people living in the char region has three clear demands - char-centric agriculture-based industries, scientific river dredging, erosion control, and a bridge or tunnel on the Brahmaputra River.
Voters in the char region say that the key demand of the common people of Gaibandha, surrounded by the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, and Teesta rivers, before election is the prevention of river erosion alongside overall development of the long-neglected char region.
Every year, several thousand people fall into extreme poverty due to river erosion.
Consequently, this time, voters want to choose a candidate who can provide permanent and effective solutions to the perennial erosion-induced sufferings.
A large part of the char region falls in the Gaibandha-5 constituency, which consists of Saghata and Fulchhari upazilas. There are 3,85,261 voters there. Of them, 192,277 are male and 192,981 female. In addition, there are three third-gender voters.
People on both banks of the Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers have been fighting for years to rebuild their broken lands.
Every year during the monsoon, several thousand bighas of cropland and houses are washed away by the river. While the wealthy can move their homes, the poor are forced to take shelter on other people's land.
BNP candidate for Gaibandha-5 Faruk Alam Sarkar said about his development plan, "By conserving the river banks, the river will be turned into a blessing, not a curse for people. There are also plans to increase agricultural production, establish police outposts and develop tourism centres to improve the quality of life of the people in the char areas."
More than 0.2 lakh tonnes of various crops are produced annually in more than 50 chars of the Brahmaputra. Despite its economic potential, the char areas do not have a developed communication system.
The security system is also fragile; as most of the char areas do not have any police outposts.
Although dam protection work has started in some places of the river, alarming erosion occurs every year in the remaining parts. Sufferings continue year after year due to the lack of sustainable dam and river management plans.
Abdul Momin Mia of Uriya village in Fulchhari upazila said, "We who live in the char areas are always neglected. Our biggest problem is river erosion and communication system. Whoever comes to power must prevent river erosion and improve the communication system."
Maulana Wares Ali, a freedom fighter, is running for this seat as a candidate of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
He said that if elected, he will establish animal husbandry centres, police outposts and healthcare centres in the char areas in addition to preventing river erosion.
He also announced plans to eliminate unemployment by constructing a tunnel or bridge from Balasi to Bahadurabad Ghat in Jamalpur and setting up tanneries and jute mills.
Alhaj Nahiduzzaman Nishad is contesting the seat as an independent candidate. Referring to river erosion as the existential crisis of the Saghata-Phulchhari area, he said, "This is no longer a matter of political promises, but a question of survival. If I am elected, I will take initiatives to implement permanent river management projects in the Brahmaputra and Jamuna, build sustainable dams in vulnerable areas, and rehabilitate families affected by erosion."
He also promised to build crop storage facilities, cold storage, and direct marketing systems to make agriculture in the char areas modern and profitable.
He announced the establishment of police outposts, community clinics, and mobile medical services in every large char area. He also has plans to establish a corruption- and extortion-free administration, create employment for the youth, and transform the char areas into separate development zones.
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