Over 20,000 families homeless

Erosion by the rivers Teesta and Dharla has rendered at least 20 thousand and 32 families homeless and devoured a portion of flood protection embankment and vast tracts of cropland in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram.

At least 20,000 families at 75 villages in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat have been rendered homeless due to erosion by the Teesta and Dharla in the last three months, reports our correspondent.

A number of erosion-hit people have already taken shelter on government road and khas lands after losing their homesteads, and croplands.

Of them, 16,666 affected families have been taken under government's three-month-long programme where each family has been getting 20 kgs of rice for every month since last month, said District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Idris Ali.

Rehanat Ali, 62, and his brother Rezaul Islam, 56, who took shelter on the government road, said the Dharla devoured their homestead on Tuesday.

Earlier, their homestead and three bighas of cropland went under water in the first week of September, they said.

Erosion affected Abdul Jalil, 56, of Rajpur village in Sadar upazila, said the rice he is getting from government is very little for his six-member family.

Executive Engineer of Lalmonirhat Water Development Board (WDB) Abu Bakkar said they have already taken steps to control the erosion at most vulnerable points but it is not possible to check erosion in all affected areas due to fund constrain.

Meanwhile, the Dharla rendered at least 32 families homeless and eroded a portion of the 50-kilometre-long flood protection embankment in Mogalbasha union of Kurigram Sadar upazila in the last one week, reports our correspondent.

Many villagers have already left their homesteads in fear of further erosion, said locals.

About 200 metres of the embankment went under water during the period, Kurigram WDB Executive Engineer Mahfuzur Rahman said, adding that they have already taken initiative to repair the embankment.