Panic grips locals as Meghna erosion threatens Chandpur town

CHANDPUR, Mar 15: Erosion panic grips Chandpur people as Chandpur Town Protection Dam has become completely vulnerable. The Dam is zigzag, having 3.360 kilometres in length, comprising Natunbazar and Puranbazar in the district town.
The Dam in Puranbazar area has 1.430 kilometres area and the rest is in Chandpur Natunbazar area. A tributary of the Meghna, Dakatia river flows through the town. It flows up to Cumilla in zigzag way connecting and flourishing many hats and bazaars on it's both banks.
The Dam was set up in 1973 following the visit of Bangabandhu along with a high- powered team including Mizan Chowdhury, the then MP on February 18, 1973.Then Tk 35 million (3.5 crores) was spent for saving the river port town from erosion by the Meghna.
Last year, on August 03 and October13, the dam developed breaches at three points and 100 metres area beside Horishava Road was devoured by the turbulent Meghna. About 20 families were displaced within a short time.
In 2019, the dam, all of a sudden, developed breaches and a total of 150 metres area of the dam was devoured by the river within a short time creating panic among hundreds and thousands of people of the locality. Following those breaches, the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials urgently dumped sand-filled geo-bags on the vulnerable sites and the erosion was temporarily stopped.
While visiting the dam on Thursday last , this correspondent observed, at different paces of the Dam at Puranbazar, Horishava , Paschim Sreeramdi and its adjoining areas, sand-bags and concrete cement blocks are sinking down and rolling down in the riverbed due to constant waves' actions. So, the locals and people residing beside the dam are in constant panic of erosion by the mighty river Meghna.
While talking to this correspondent, an elderly sick man Moron Dhali (70) and his wife Anowara Begum, now residing in a small tottering house, have said, 'We are rendered homeless and heartless four times in last 48 years by the cruel Meghna. Now we are staying on the land of others though the land owner is telling us to leave.
Farida Begum, 45, (wife of Ohidur Rahman), Shukhranjan Nandi (65), a tea vendor and his wife have said, 'Their homes and houses were washed away three times long ago by the Meghna in last 48 years'. Now they are residing just beside the dam, although they are in constant panic of erosion.
Same is the case with Biswaka Nandi (65), Tahmina Begum, (wife of sick old man Hakim Bokaul), Rasheda Rabbani, (wife of Md Rabbani Bokaul), Kulsuma Begum (wife of Shahidul Islam) and many many others who are residing just beside the dam at West Sreeramadi village and adjoining areas. Many traders have also lost their business establishments to this river at Puranbazar.
Last year, State Minister for Flood Control and Water Resources AKM Enamul Huque Shamim, MP, and then Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, MP, along with high officials came to see the vulnerable sites and assured the people that everything would be done to save the dam. Enamul Huque Shamim then told the people on November 24 last year that Dr Dipu Moni and I are working together for this Dam'.
He assured, a plan to establish permanent Town Protection Dam in Chandpur involving an amount of Tk 4.2 billion (420 crores) was placed in the Ministry for approval. After approval by the Govt, works of permanent Dam will start, he reassured.
On Tuesday last, talking exclusively to this correspondent about the plan, the BWDB, Chandpur's Superintending Engineer Md Shafiqul Islam said that the amount Tk 4.2 billion (Tk 420 crores) was later increased to about Tk 30 billion (three thousand crores) after a thorough and comprehensive survey and study in the Meghna river by the Water and River Expertise comprising a 09- member team headed by water expert Md Motahar Hossain (CGIS) along with BUET Engineer Dr Ataur Rahman and others concerned.
After a comprehensive study the team has come to this conclusion that for a permanent Town Protection dam in Chandpur, newly emerged char lands and sunken /hidden shoals (char lands) here and there in the riverbeds and in the west banks of the river have to be dredged to divert the river current after expanding the breadth of the river near Chandpur town.
Because, due to these chars and shoals in the river beds, the Meghna river's breadth has become 'too narrow' over the years creating obstacle to free-flow of water current at the time of on-rush of flood waters from upper regions into the Bay of Bengal through this river beside Chandpur town and so it causes unexpected erosion and whirlpools beside the town's dam and that's why river erosion is caused.
However, for expansion of the river's breadth, dredging the chars in the river beds and removing the sunken chars is very urgent. Besides, groyens are also most urgently needed to divert the river current toward the middle of the river. Now the Molehead in Parjatanarea in Chandpur Natunbazar in the district town and Puranbazar Molehead are working as Groyens.
However, for all these works, an estimated amount of Tk 30 billion (3 thousand crores) was proposed and placed before the Ministry concerned who studied and scrutinised it at a meeting held on March 04 last. Then the proposal would be sent to other Department concerned and Planning Commission and finally it will be sent to ECNEC for approval of the Prime Minister. On Friday last (5/3/2021), senior Member of the Planning Commission Dr Shamsul Alam also came and visited the dam and other related aspects.
River erosion Resistance Sangram Committee President also Valiant Freedom Fighter Mujibur Rahman, Chandpur Chamber of Commerce & Industries President Alhaj Jahangir Akhand Selim and many public representatives have also heartily congratulated the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and local MP Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni for undertaking this laudable initiative of a permanent Dam here.

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