Once a turbulent Boral River is now a narrow canal like a drain. The mighty branch of the river Padma, Boral is now a cultivable land where paddy and seasonal crops are being grown for more than a decade.
Constuction of a Sluice Gate on the entrance of the river at Charghat, drying up of the river Padma and loss of navigability have been made responsible for drying up of the river Boral. Despite the demand from the local people and the environmentalists to dredge the river-bed to resume navigability of the river, the concerned authorities remained indifferent in this connection.
It is learnt, being created from Charghat as a branch of the river Padma, the Boral river traversing through Bagha of Rajshahi, Bagatipara and Boraigram of Natore, Chatmohar, Bhangura and Faridpur of Pabna fell to the Hurasagar through Baghabarighat, Hurasagar has mixed with the river Jamuna.
The length of the Boral river is 89 kilometre. Once upon a time, one of the main ways of communication through boat and river vessels with river Padma and the Jamuna was through the Boral River round the year. Now, boats can move through the road only two months during the monsoon. Afterwards, the river is dry again and paddy, seasonal crops are grown here during the dry seasons.
According to sources, to get rid of flood in Charghat area, a Sluice Gate was erected at the confluence of Boral and the Padma near Charghat in 1985. As a result, entrance of water from the river Padma into Boral rivers continued to decrease.
Late at the 46 kilometre downstream of the river another Sluice Gate was constructed near Atghori, and another cross dam was constructed at the further downstream of the river at Chatmohar in Pabna and one more sluice gate at Dahapara area of Pabna district. All the entrances (gates) of the sluice gates turned out of order and thus stopping the flow of water of the river. Now, Boral is virtually a dead river.
On April-5, all sluice gates at Charghat were seen open but there was no water at the entrance point of the river Padma. As a result, no water was seen to enter into the river.
Sabiar Rahman at Charghat informed, for decades they have been cultivating paddy in the river bed of Boral. In Rustampur of Bagha, a narrow canal like structure was seen to flow through the paddy fields. Local resident Rafiqul Islam informed, paddy and other crops are cultivated almost round the year except two months of during monsoon.
Elderly Zulmat Ali of Rutampur informed, he used to maintain his life by catching fish in the river Boral. Now, there having no water in the river, he works as a day-labourer. He said, by catching fish in the river he used to maintain his family. He purchased land, married away his sons and daughter. Now, all those days are gone. Now he is working on others land. Zulmat further said, he watched a turbulent Boral with strong current of water and also watched to die and dry up of the river.
To save the river, Boral Nodi Raskha Committees have been formed in Charghat of Rajshahi and Chatmohar of Pabna. Leaders of the committees are regularly arranging various movements to save the river.
Later, the Water Development Board excavated some 19.10 kilometre long areas of Narad river and Musa Khan river in Natore and the entrance of the Boral river near Charghat at a cost of Taka 13 core 03 lakh in 2008-'09. Ab in 2010, the intake canal of Boral was excavated but no water entered into the river Boaral from the river Padma even after the excavation.
Saifu Islam Badsha, President of Boral Nodi Raskha Committee said, the entrance of the Boral River was excavated but there was no change in situation. The sand filled the mouth of the sluice gate. There was massive corruption in excavation work. Once upon a time, thousands of people earned their livelihood centering the river Boral but now they are all unemployed.
He mentioned, a proper excavation of some 89 kilometer of the river would change the socio-economic scenario of the region. People would be able to travel through boat at a low cost, the river water would be used for cultivation of crops and fishermen would be able to earn their livelihood by catching fish. He demanded government intervention to excavate the riverbed of Boral to return its navigability.
Shafiqul Islam Sheikh, Executive Engineer of Water Development Board. Rajshahi said, Natore WDB is responsible for maintenance of the river Boral. Natore WDB in consultation with Rajshahi WDB has prepared a Development Project Proposal for excavation of the river Boral that has already been submitted to the concerned ministry. The Boral River will be re-excavated if the DPP gets approval and the natural flow of water of the river Boral will be resumed then.