Brahmaputra eats away Char Mantala

Two decades ago, Char Mantala in Kurigram's Chilmari upazila emerged from the riverbed of Brahmaputra but it went into the river in the last four months, leaving the residents in utter despair.

There were 128 families living in this char. These families made a living from crop cultivation in the char lands. Char Mantala Government Primary School was established there to ensure education for the children of the char. There was the Char Mantala Jame Mosque.

But now there is no installation. There is only water everywhere. After receding of floodwaters, Char Mantala was completely devoured by the Brahmaputra river in the last four months.

Char Mantala, an impassable char on the riverbed of Brahmaputra in Chilmari union of Chilmari upazila in the district, was about 8km away from the mainland of the upazila headquarters.

Around 600 people in this char are now homeless. After losing everything, they have now taken shelter in the relatives' houses in other char areas.

Sanju Miah, a member of the local union parishad (UP), said he was a resident of Char Mantala. He had ten bighas of arable land, two orchards and a homestead. Everything has gone into the Brahmaputra as the river completely devoured the entire char.

"We lost everything to the river. We have now taken shelter with my family in a relative's house at Char Karai Barishal," said UP member Sanju Miah.

After losing everything, they are now living a miserable life, he said.

Diljan Bewa, 67, said her family had taken shelter in Char Mantala 16 years ago after being devastated by the floods and erosion. Her family started farming in a few bighas of land in Char Mantala and they passed their life happily.

But the river completely devoured Char Mantala, she said, adding that "we often remain starved or half-fed now."

Gaysul Haque Mandal, chairman of Chilmari Union Parishad (UP), said erosion by the Brahmaputra intensified at Char Mantala soon after the floodwaters receded in July.

The entire char went into the river in the last four months, said the UP chairman.