Severe erosion has started in the Baleshwar River in Sharankhola, Bagerhat. This erosion occurred at 10 points in an area of about 25 km from Sharankhola Bagi to Morelganj before the arrival of the monsoon season. Due to erosion, this embankment built by World Bank's coastal embankment development project costing about Tk 300 crore is at risk. Among these, erosion has started in the main embankment of Rajeshwar, Rajoi Battala and Fasciatala areas. Due to the construction of dams without controlling the river, the intensity of erosion is increasing day by day. There are doubts about the durability of the dam. Member of Parliament for Bagerhat-4 Constituency Advocate Amirul Alam visited the area.
Meanwhile, the authorities of Coastal Dam Development Project (CEDP), a sustainable dam implementation agency, say that the work of their project has been completed 100 percent. The dam will be handed over to the Water Development Board next December. There is no opportunity for them to accept any new project here.
In the Gabtala area of Dakshin Southkhali of Southkhali Union of Sarankhola, about two bighas of land near the dam got lost in the river along with the sudden vegetation, causing panic among the people in the area. Besides, 10 points including Bagi, Tafalabari, Southkhali Union of Southkhali Union of Sharankhola Upazila, Chalrayenda of Rayenda Union, Rajeshwar, Jilbunia, Rajir Markaz Mosque of Khontakata Union, Battala, East Khontakata, and Fasciatala of Morelganj part of the embankment built on the banks of Baleshwar River in Boulder 35/1 of Water Development Board are in danger.
On November 15, 2007, the floodwaters of Cyclone Sidor breached the embankment and killed thousands of people in Sharankhola. After that, in view of the demands of the local people, the government accepted the project of building a sustainable embankment. The construction of the 62 km barrage of Boulder 35/1 of Sharankhola Water Development Board at a cost of about Tk 300 crores funded by the World Bank through the Coastal Embankment Development Project (CEDP) started on 26 January 2016. But the Chinese contractor company could not complete the work of this three-year project even in six years.
UP member of that ward Zakir Hossain Howladar said that the erosion of the river is approaching the dam day by day. All of a sudden, a large part is being merged. If the river is not controlled quickly, the main embankment will be breached in the next monsoon season. The locals are panicked. He also said that the Chinese contractors have done whatever they want because there is no round-the-clock supervision of the CEDP project people. We are very worried about the permanence of the dam as sand is used more in the construction of the dam.
Zakir Hossain Khan Mohiuddin, chairman of Khontakata Union Parishad, said that the main embankment of Rajair Markaz Mosque and Battala area of my union has started to collapse. Erosion cannot be prevented in any way unless quick dumping of stones or geo bags is done. Due to the lack of coordination between the CEDP and the Water Development Board, there was no supervision of this huge project. As a result, the Chinese have done inferior work. At least 10 points along the Baleshwar banks, river management has become imperative. Otherwise, this dam cannot be sustained in any way. We urge the authorities concerned to verify the quality of work before handing over the dam.
In this regard, Member of Parliament for Bagerhat-4 Constituency Advocate Amirul Alam Milan said, "I will contact the Ministry of Water Resources and the Water Development Board so that a project will be taken to manage the river to prevent erosion in the dangerous areas of the Baleshwar river.
In this regard, Ashraful Alam, Executive Engineer of Coastal Embankment Development Project (CEDP) Khulna said, the amount of work that is supposed to be done in our project has been completed. The dam will be handed over to the Water Development Board in December. He further said that since the duration of the project and the works have been completed 100%. CEDP has nothing to do here. After the handover, the Water Development Board will look after the river governance.
Masum Billah, executive engineer of Bagerhat of Water Development Board, said that for the time being in Gabtala area, sand will be dumped in geo bags to prevent breakage.
Apart from this, nothing can be done until other areas of Baleshwar River are taken up for prevention of erosion and for river management.