Erosion feared as flood breaks spur on Jamuna

The surge of floodwater from upstream of the Jamuna River and the hilly border areas of India and Bangladesh has washed away 25 metres of the river erosion preventing spur at Baniyajan area in Bhandarbari union under Dhunat upazila of the district in the last 24 hours.

 Water Development Board (WDB) sources said two spurs were built at Baniyajan and Shaharabari areas in 2002 at a cost of Tk 25 crore for preventing erosion along the western bank of the river.

Shaharabari spur collapsed just after it was built. Baniyajan spur has been protecting Shimulbari, Baniyajan, Koyagari, Boroitoli, Bhandabari, Vutbari, Pukuriad and other villages from the grasp of Jamuna River, added the WDB sources.

Locals alleged that the spur was badly damaged by erosion last year, and further damage was prevented by dumping sacks of sand in the river. No action was taken to mend the collapsed part of the spur, instead, a river bank protection wall was constructed at a cost of Tk 60 crore.

Without enough protection of the spur, the protection wall will be at a risk, threatening eight villages, they added.

Atiqul Karim Apple, member of the upazila parishad, said the damaged spur should have been repaired during the dry season. Due to the negligence of the authorities concerned, the spur is on the verge of collapsing, keeping thousands of people in panic.