The water level of all the rivers in the Tangail district including the Jamuna River at Bhuapur Upazila is increasing due to the flash flood coming down from the upstream and the heavy rains. As a result, the Jhenai river water has increased by 44 cm at Jokarchar point in Kalihati in the last 24 hours and is flowing 37 cm above the danger line. Besides, the water of the Jamuna River is reaching its limits. If there is an increase of 18 cm more, the water of this river will cross the danger limit. Sources from Tangail district Water Development Board provided this information. Sources from Tangail district Water Development Board said in the last 24 hours, from 9 am on Wednesday to 9 am on Thursday, the water level in Jhenai River has increased by 44 cm at Jokarchar point and is flowing 37 cm above the danger line. The water level in Brahmaputra-Jamuna River has increased by 47 cm at Porabari point and is flowing 0.18 cm below the danger level.
Sub-Assistant Engineer of Tangail district Water Development Board Nurul Amin said the water level of all the other rivers in the district, including the Jamuna river in Tangail, has increased over the past few days due to the heavy rains and flash flood from the upstream. Among them, water level in Jhenai River has increased by 44 cm at Jokarchar point and is flowing 37 cm above the danger line. If the heavy rains continue, the water of the Yamuna will cross the danger level. Meanwhile, severe erosion has occurred in various areas of Gobindasi, Nikrail, Gabsara and Arjuna Unions of Bhuapur upazila due to the increase in water level at the Jamuna River. Among them, the houses, residences and crop lands of Valkutia, Chituliapara, Koshtopara, Konabari, Potitapara, Basudebkol, Bhadrashimul areas of the upazila are collapsing and disappearing into the river. Geobags were dumped in some of these places.
Several farmers including Abdus Salam and Sabur Ali of Jaipur and Kalipur villages in Gabsara Union of Bhuapur Upazila said that the water level in the Jamuna River has been increasing for quite some time due to heavy rains and flash flood. As a result, unripe sesame, kaun, jute and other crops in the grasslands are gradually going under water. If the water keeps increasing like this now, the water will enter people’s house in a few days. Various vegetables planted in the grazing area have already sunk.
Sajeda Begum, an elderly woman of Matikata village in Nikrail Union, said whatever property and wealth she had left from the last flood, the current flood has destroyed them too. The riverside people are now forced to spend sleepless nights due to the fear of erosion. Many families are already living beside the road. Due to illegal extraction of sand during the dry season near the houses, their settlements are being devoured by the river now. She demanded geobags to be dumped as soon as possible in the erosion sites. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mamunur Rashid said in this regard that due to the continuous increase of water in the Jamuna River from a few weeks ago, he received the news of erosion in some areas including Chituliapara, Matikata and Patitapara of the upazila. Later he informed the district water development board and related departments and visited the site. Geobags are already being dumped in various places affected by erosion. Their activities to prevent the river erosion will continue, he added.
