Alok Saha, Jhalokathi
Hundreds of hectares of agricultural land including several educational institutions, houses, cyclone shelters, mosques and markets have already been washed away due to the severe erosion of the Bishkhali River in Jhalakathi at the beginning of the monsoon season as no effective measures have been taken to prevent river erosion for a long time.
Several other buildings are at risk of collapse. The level of sudden erosion has caused panic among the residents of the risky areas. Although the Water Development Board has sent project proposals to prevent these erosions, those proposals are still stuck in files.
Visiting on spot it was seen that about 20 villages including bus stand, cyclone shelter, many educational institutions, markets and roads are under threat of erosion of Sugandha and Bishkhali rivers of the district.
In the meantime, about half a hundred villages of the district have been destroyed in this erosion. Thousands of families have lost their homes and become destitute already.
The Sugandha river has eroded the Krishnakathi bus stand and houses in the area including Kutubnagar Madrasa in Jhalakathi city. Earlier in the night, houses and trees in the area were submerged in a sudden eruption. Similarly the only bus stand in the district town is on its way to sinking into the river at any moment.
No effective measures have been taken to prevent this erosion for the last 10 years. It is learned that it has been proposed to prevent this erosion by throwing blocks into the river.
Homes of more than two hundred families of several villages including Ponabalia, Deuri, Atakathi, Diakul, Manki and Bhaotita in Ponabalia Union of Sadar Upazila have been washed away by the Bishkhali river. Hundreds of farmers have become unemployed as about one and a half thousand acres of cultivable land in these villages have also been washed away by the river.
According to locals, most parts of Bhaotita village have gone into the river. Erosion-stricken farmers are spending days starving with their families. The extent of the disintegration of the union is increasing day by day.
Headmaster of Paschim Deuri Government Primary School Faruk Hossain said students could not come to school during the monsoon season as there was no embankment on the river bank. The pillar of the cyclone shelter of this union is now inside the river.
Though the work of Hadua Mazar and Port Protection project of Nalsiti upazila has been completed, the locals complained that most of the allocated money was looted. The rapid erosion of Sugandha river from Mallikpur to Sardal village of Nalchiti municipality is intensifying. However, no initiative has been taken by the authorities to prevent this and homes, mosques as well as cultivable lands are facing demolition.
Ashraful Islam, a teacher from Nalsiti’s Bhabanipur village said, “Bhabanipur Secondary School and Chanpura Primary School will soon be submerged due to the speedy erosion of the river. If the government does not take any action, these institutions will vanish into the river”.
Mathbari Secondary School and Launchghat in Rajapur Upazila, Kancharibari Bazar in Barya Union, Challishkahnia and Mankisunder villages, Hadua Darbar Sharif in Nalsiti Upazila, Deuri Cyclone Shelter, Bhabanipur Launchha Primary School, Baishakh are all at risk of erosion.
In this regard, Mathbari Union Parishad Chairman of Rajapur Upazila Jalal Ahmed said, “Hundreds of families have become destitute by losing shops, houses and crop lands due to the erosion of Bishkhali river. We are helping them as much as we can. However, if we do not stop the rapid erosion of the river soon, many more families will lose everything”.
As there is no permanent embankment on the Bishkhali river in Kathalia, with the onset of the monsoon season, the tidal water has increased causing severe erosion. Many establishments in Kathalia Upazila Parishad, Office Para, Launchghat, Aora Hat, Kachua Kheyaghat, Amua Port, Chingrakhali Bazar and Aorabunia Bazar are under threat of demolition.
Besides, hundreds of acres of agricultural land are being lost almost every day. Visiting on spot it was seen that there is a threat of severe erosion of the river bank from the launch ghat adjacent to Kathalia Upazila Parishad to Bara Kathalia due to lack of permanent embankment.
In addition, Kathalia Model Government Primary School, Kathalia Pilot Girls School and College, Upazila Livestock Office, riverside houses and many other establishments are also under threat. Hundreds of acres of agricultural land are being lost. Md Faruk, a fisherman from Chingrakhali village of the upazila, said, “Every year, our houses, cows and calves are washed away in the same amount of water”.
Jhalakathi Zila Parishad Md Shakhawat Hossain Apu said, “We are facing a very helpless situation during the floods as there is embankment in a 31 km embankment area from Amua in Kathalia to Jangalia. Houses and agriculture are being severely damaged”.
Jhalakathi Agriculture Officer, Agriculturist Md Shahidul Islam said, as there is no dam, the water of Bishkhali river enters the upazila at normal tide every day and the cultivable land is constantly submerged. The farmers are suffering. Farmers will benefit if there is a sustainable embankment on the banks of Bishkhali river.
Upazila Chairman Md Emadul Haque Monir said, “After taking charge, I went directly to the state minister of water resources and wrote a letter about constructing an embankment a year and a half ago. He sent the letter to the Chief Engineer of the Water Development Board. He assured that the embankment issue would be resolved soon”.
Mushfiqur Rahman Shuvo, Sub-Divisional Engineer, Jhalakathi Water Development Board said, “A proposal of Tk 695 crore for the embankment was submitted to the ministry on November 6, 2019 but, the ministry sent it back for review. After the review, it was re-submitted to the ministry on February 22 this year. The project was sent from the Ministry of Water Resources to the Ministry of Planning on March 3. It is currently awaiting the decision of the verification committee of the planning ministry.
Mushfiqur Rahman, Sub-Divisional Engineer of the Water Development Board, said there were no embankments along the 88-kilometer-long banks of 11 rivers in Jhalakathi district. Proposals have been sent to the Ministry for construction of embankments under polder ring management which is awaiting the decision of the verification committee. As soon as the allocation is received, the work will start in due process.
Rakib Hasan, executive engineer of Jhalokati Water Development Board said, “There are as many risky dams in Jhalakathi including Kathalia and Rajapur and if any new dam is needed, it is being surveyed on the ground. When the survey is over, I am taking up a new project. Since repairs are not always possible, so the large number of dams in Jhalakathi district are at risk. We will send the necessary documents to the Ministry soon for repair and construction of all types of dams”.