100 families in Panchagarh suffer due to waterlogging

Around 100 families of two villages in Debiganj upazila of Panchagarh district have been suffering a lot during monsoon for the last four years due to waterlogging as local influential people blocked the passage of a culvert at Charpara after building houses.  

The callous act led to persistent waterlogging for over a month in every rainy season, said locals.   

Four years ago. Photo: Star

Apart from this, the villagers face huge losses as their croplands remained under water due to the waterlogging. Due to this, fish cultivation in the area has also been hampered.

During a recent visit, this correspondent found that around 500 people of Charpara and Charmelapara villages in Tepriganj union of the upazila have been passing hard days as their houses and croplands went under water.

It happened as the water flow was blocked due to blocking of the culvert in Charpara area, said the villagers.

The affected people said three local influential people -- Nur Haque, Aynal Mistri and Sultan-- built houses opposite to the villages blocking passage of a culvert in 2016.

The villagers have been suffering in every rainy season due to waterlogging since the passage of the culvert was blocked four years back. Their houses and croplands went under water during monsoon. Even light rain caused overflowing of the water bodies in the areas.

The sufferers informed the local administration and public representatives about the matter several times but to no effect yet.

Mahir Uddin of Charpara village said people in the area have been facing untold sufferings for long due to stagnant water.

Another villager Amzad Hossain of Charmelapara area said his house remained under water during monsoon since the water flow was blocked four years ago.

"During this season, water overflowed the bank of my pond, leading to fish worth Tk 1.80 lakh escaping from the pond," he said.   

Amzad further said the affected villagers continued informing the authorities concerned about the matter but they are yet to get any solution.

Nur Haque and Aynal Mistri said finding no other alternative, they have built houses on their land.

Contacted, local union parishad chairman Golam Rahman said after receding of water, they will take step to build another culvert in the area for draining out water from the two villages. 

Debiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Prottoy Hasan said the upazila administration will take immediate steps to resolve the problem.