River erosion has become a constant problem in Bangladesh. Every year countless of people who live along the river banks lose their homes because of river erosion. As river bank erosion is a regular phenomenon and the number of people affected by river erosion is increasing every year.
As reported by this daily on Friday, a research conducted recently by the Centre for Participatory Research & Development (CPRD) found that over 5,000 people of Nariya upazila alone in Shariyatpur district became displaced by erosion losing everything they had in 2018.
We can also build tidal dams which can protect the
delicate soil along banks and prevent soil erosion
The government has been working on building sustainable dykes and embankments in many places. Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) last year approved a project at Tk 1,097 crore to prevent erosion. Government’s initiative to build sustainable embankments with world-class technologies and to renovate the old ones to prevent river erosion is a commendable one.
We can also build tidal dams which can protect the delicate soil along banks and prevent soil erosion. As a nation we are developing everyday economically. In doing so we should not forget to develop the lives of marginal people who live along the river banks. Government must put more focus on them, so their lives and livelihoods do not get evacuated year after year.
It is envisaged that the river erosion would further increase if the authorities concerned do not devise necessary steps in this regard. Rivers of the country require capital dredging, Therefore, immediate actions should be taken to this end.