Brahmaputra erosion devours over 100 homesteads

Over 100 homesteads in Hatiya union of Ulipur upazila in Kurigram have gone into the gorge of the Brahmaputra river in a week as the river erosion has taken a serious turn with the recession of floodwater, reports news agency UNB.

Around 950,000 people who live in the vicinities of 16 rivers, including the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar, suffered much due to flood for the last 20 days. Now they are passing days in worries due to the severe river erosion.

The flood protection embankment, union parisahd building, six educational institutions, three mosques, one community clinic and one cyclone centre also stand threatened due to the worsening erosion.

No necessary measure has yet been taken by the Water Development Board to check the erosion, locals alleged.

During a recent visit to the union, the UNB correspondent found that the affected people along with their domestic animals and belongings have taken shelter in nearby villages.

Two-thirds of the union have been washed away by the Brahmaputra in the last three to four years.

“The river has swallowed everything. Only Allah knows where I would go with my family now! There was a graveyard of my ancestors but now it's just a memory,” said tearful Abul Kashem, 60, one of the victims of the river erosion.

Abdul Hakim, 45, another victim of Nayadara village, said he has become a pauper losing four acres of cropland in the river erosion.

Hatiya UP chairman Abdul Hossain said to protect the area from river erosion, a sub- protection embankment was built but it got damaged due to the erosion.

If the erosion continues, it will not be possible to protect the union parishad building and the educational institutions, he added.

Executive engineer of the Water Development Board (Kurigram) Ariful Islam said they have brought the matter to the notice of the higher authorities concerned seeking remedial measures.