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BD-India zero line on Rajshahi border being devoured by river


Published : 17 Jul 2020 10:05 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 07:19 PM

The Zero Line along Bangladesh-India frontier is being devoured due to intense erosion of the river Padma at the southern part of the city Charkhidirpur. Due to such erosion, Bangladesh has already lost a substantial land area. 

If such a situation of river erosion continues further, Bangladesh might lose sovereignty over the entire region along the river Padma, it is apprehended.  The erosion is continuing for several years but no effective measure has so far been taken to check it.

According to sources, the erosion along the frontier line of Charkhidirpur and Khanpur area is continuing. Hundreds of residents of those two villages have turned pauper by losing their homesteads and crop fields. But, no permanent measure has been taken by the government to check the erosion so far. As a result, Padma is devouring the Zero line of Bangladesh and the Indian border. 

Already people of Bangladesh (residents and owner of the land of the devoured villages) and the BGB members have lost their single sovereignty of the region along the zero lines which have been devoured by the river Padma. If such erosion continues, Bangladesh might lose its single sovereignty over the entire region.  

Mofidul Islam Bachchu, Chairman of Harian Union Parishad under Paba upazila informed, the situation of Charkhidirpur frontier village of Rajshahi is extremely alarming. Already, 400 families of the area have lost their homesteads, crop-field and fruit orchards.

Bazley Rizvi Al Hasan Munjil, Chairman of Haripur union under Paba upazila informed,  Bangladeshi residents, are losing their land due to river erosion every year. The char people are shifting their locations from one place to another regularly.

Mokhlesur Rahman, Superintending Engineer of Water Development Board in Rajshahi informed, an average of 5,000 to 8,000 hectares of land are being devoured by the river Padma every year. As a result, Bangladesh is also losing its sovereignty at its frontier. Earlier, a project of Taka 174 crore was taken up to protect Khanpur frontier region but the government did not sanction the project

 According to sources, during the last Monsoon, Bangladesh lost a six-kilometre long and 500-metre broad landmass in the river Padma at the frontiers. During that erosion, parts of Bangladesh land from 164 main frontier pillar of Char Khidirpur to 165 main frontier pillar of Kalabagan of Khanpur under Harian union have been devoured in the river Padma and thus dissolving the landmass in water with Indian territory.

Since after the losing of the frontier pillars and devouring of Bangladeshi land in the river Padma, Indian Border Security Force (BSF) turned active to establish territorial rights in that devoured region of Bangladesh. BSF shifted their camps beside the river Padma from a five-kilometre distance of Mohanganj. 

Even, the erosion is continuing during this monsoon as well. As a result, more Bangladeshi lands are apprehended to be grabbed by Indian BSF.

During last several years, hundreds of hectares of land of ward 8 and 9 hjave been devoured by the river Padma including many infrastructures and Bangladesh-Indian frontier demarcation pillars. As a result, Bangladesh has been losing its valuable land at the frontiers of river Padma every year.

Kohinoor Begum,  Member of Reserved seat of Charkhanpur informed, most of the lands of Char Taranagar, Char Khidirpur, Diar Khidirpur, Char Titamari, Diar Shibnagar, Char Brindabaon, Keshobpur, Char Sreerampur and Char Ramppur of ward No. 8 and 9 under Harian union have been devoured in the water of the river Padma. 

The rests are also going to be eroded in the river. Already many frontier demarcation pillars being eroded, Indian BSF members have taken possession of that watery territory. Even, BSF members are not allowing Bangladeshi fishermen to enter into those areas. As a result, many Bangladeshi fishermen of the frontier villages have turned jobless.

According to sources, already 200 homesteads four mosques, a madrasa, one community clinic, one government primary school, a two-storied flood shelter, Khanpur BGB camp with international frontier demarcation pillars no. 

164 and 165 of ward 9 of Harian union under Paba Upazila have been devoured by the turbulent water of the river Padma. Also, 400 houses, one BGB camp, one pucca two-storied Primary School, five mosques, two madrasas, one community clinic with international frontier pillars S-3,4 and 5 of 159 have been devoured in the river Padma rendering 10,000 people of those villages homeless.

Lieutenant Colonel Ferdous Ziauddin Mahmood, Commander of BGB, Rajshahi-1 informed, BGB was trying to retain its position in accordance with the devoured frontier pillars. The patrolling along the border by the BGB members have also been intensified, he added.