River erosion turns grim in Chandpur

CHANDPUR, Aug 08: Erosion by the mighty river Padma has intensified for the past few weeks in Raj Rajeswar union, a remote char area in the lap of Meghna-Padma rivers under Chandpur Sadar upazila.
Due to onrush of water from the upstream to the Bay through the Meghna and Padma rivers and with the rapid rise in the water levels, river erosion has affected a char (shoal) area about 10 kilometes west of the Chandpur town.
During a recent visit, the FE correspondent observed that about one hundred families residing in Boliarchar, Bolashia and Goyalnagar villages and the adjacent Aska Bazar area including Maal Kandi, Dhalikandi, Chokdarkandi, and UP Parishad office's north side are shifting along with domestic animals, valuables and bag and baggage to safer places leaving their ancestral homes devoured by the river Padma.
Now many are living in improvised shanties elsewhere and some are residing on raised platforms.
Nasir Sarder, Shaheb Ali Sarker, Humayun Dhali and Mostafa Prodhania and a few others are victims of erosion in Goaalnagar, Boliarchar, Aska Bazar in the union.
They said that they were not getting any assistance from the government. They have demanded that the government set up a permanent dam at the vulnerable points immediately so that general people can live in peace.
Sources said about 100 families are in constant fear of losing homes, homesteads and domestic animals and crops due to the onslaughts of river erosion.
There are six wards in Raj Rajeswar union where 30,000 people live.
Many local residents said they have so far become homeless five or six times due to the Padma River erosion.
They have demanded that the higher authorities build a strong protection dam at the vulnerable point in Raj Rajeswar union.
According to UP Chairman Hazrat Ali Bepari, about 95 per cent people are poor and destitute in Raj Rajeswar union.
In the last few years, a good number of establishments, including mosques, a government primary school, a flood-cum-cyclone shelter, one high school and many government and non-government institutions in the union have been engulfed by the Padma's continuous erosion.
He said a team of officials from the Water Development Board, Chandpur led by Executive Engineer Jahirul Islam visited the vulnerable sites in the union in mid-July and witnessed erosion-hit areas.
The engineer assured the UP chairman that they would submit a report to the higher authorities in this regard. After getting the necessary fund allocation, steps will be taken in this regard.
The UP chairman told the FE, "We are looking forward to working for this.''
He also said, "Sand and concrete-filled geo-textile bags would be dumped at the vulnerable points soon to prevent further river erosion.''

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