1,200 families become homeless in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, July 16: As many as 6,000 people from 1,200 families at Chakrajapur Union of Bagha Upazila of the district have become homeless as the Padma riverbank erosion has turned alarming.
Locals said three government primary schools have been relocated to other places due to the serious erosion.
There are 15 chars in the union where the population is about 20,000.
66-year-old Abdur Rahman Shikder, who was sitting on the Padma riverbank in Chakrajapur, said, "We've lost our homestead due to the riverbank erosion, and built a house on one bigha of land in Chakrajapur. Two brothers have to pay Tk 20,000 for this rented land."
"Once I was the owner of 60 bighas of land, but now I have no land," he also said.
Like Mr Shikder, more than 1,000 families are living on the rented land in this char.
They said the land is rented on a contract of three-four years. They are thus living in houses on the rented land.
Sahidul Islam, a farmer of Kalidaskhali village in the upazila, said that apart from the loss of land due to the riverbank erosion, 32 bighas of almond fields were submerged by floodwater. The harvest was due in a few days, but all the fields are submerged.
Habibur Rahman, a farmer of Chakrajapur village, said that Tk 21-22,000 is spent on almond cultivation per bigha. The almond crop on 600-700 bighas of 150 more farmers has gone underwater. Apart from this, sesame cultivated on 4-5 bigha of land is now under water.
DM Monowar Hossain Babul Dewan, chairman of Chakrajapur Union, says that 1200 families of Chakrajapur Union have been affected by the Padma riverbank erosion. About 6,000 people are affected as a population. After the river disappeared, these people could not buy land and build a house.
Apart from this, over 150 farmers of this union have lost their crops due to the water inundation.
Bagha Upazila Agriculture Officer Shafiullah Sultan said the farmers planted almonds on 473 hectares of pasture land.
The agriculture department is working to estimate the damage to the farmers' crops due to the water coming into the Padma. But if the water continues to rise, the damage will be more.
Md Tariqul Islam, Bagha Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said the Padma has an unsafe dam. Due to this, the dam is slowly breaking. Many have lost their homes at various times. Some 70 families affected by erosion have been given 10 kg of rice. Besides, preparations have been made to deal with all kinds of floods to protect the crops.

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