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Editorial

Teesta erosion renders many families homeless in Kurigram

Rehabilitate the erosion victims, allocate adequate relief for them


Bangladeshpost
Published : 03 Sep 2022 08:23 PM

Every year in Bangladesh, thousands of hectares of land crumble into the rivers that wind through this South Asian nation, swallowing homes and pushing families away from their rural villages. This land erosion peaks during the June to October monsoon season, which brings torrential rains and swells the country’s rivers.

Reportedly, more than 250 houses have been washed away by the Teesta River in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram in the last three days. The bank of the Teesta River has been eroding in West Kalpani Bajra, Kalpani Bajra and Satalskar villages of Bajra Union of the upazila since last month. Due to the sudden intensity of the erosion, the Teesta River devoured 500 bighas of cropland, a community clinic, educational institutions, markets, mosques, temples, Eidgah grounds in the union.

Necessary measures should be taken to

 rehabilitate the affected people and 

provide them with financial support

Considering the situation, the government and NGOs should take immediate steps to reduce the volume of the effects of riverbank erosion. In this regard, the authorities concerned should immediately construct an embankment along the river to protect the local people from erosion. Also, adequate relief and funds should be allocated for the river erosion victims.

The government is working to prevent the prevailing river erosion and help the victims. We hope the government and the authorities concerned will take further steps to prevent the erosion permanently. But for now, immediate steps should be taken to rehabilitate the affected people and provide them with financial support. Besides, we should all stand beside the river erosion victims and work together to rehabilitate them.

It is feared that the erosion and loss would increase if the authority don’t take effective steps in this regard. The rivers of the country require capital dredging. But, there is no sign of such steps. Therefore, immediate actions should be taken to this end. Also, necessary measures should be taken to rehabilitate the affected people and provide them with financial support. It is sad but true that our country is currently lacking in resources to stand against river erosion. We believe with proper implementation of new technologies, we can save lives, properties and assets and limit the grave consequences of river erosion.