Teesta-Dharla erosion devours 8 unions

Jesmina Begum, 48, was crying as their homestead with ten decimals of land at Dawabari village under Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat was devoured by the Teesta River on Tuesday afternoon. Their six bighas of croplands were devoured in the last two weeks.

Like Jesmina, Sufiya Begum, 50, of the same village, was crying as their homestead, fruit orchard and three bighas of croplands were eroded away. "Teesta has made us homeless, jobless," she said.

Jesmina's husband Noor Hossain, 55, said, "We can take shelter on the Water Development Board's dam, or on government road and khas land, but how we will maintain our families?"

Sources at union parishad offices in eight unions of four upazilas in the district said at least 300 families have been rendered homeless as their homesteads, croplands and fruit orchards were devoured by the rivers Teesta and Dharla at twelve villages in the last two weeks.

Jesmin Begum of Dawabari village in Hatibandha upazila cries as her home was washed away by the river Teesta at Hatibanda upazila. The photos were taken yesterday. Photo: Star

Habibur Rahman, chairman of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila's Mogholhat union parishad, said "I have already informed the WDB authorities about the situation, and requested them to take necessary steps to tackle the situation, but no step has yet been taken."

Executive Engineer of WDB in Lalmonirhat Abu Bakkar, said WDB officials are visiting erosion affected and erosion vulnerable areas.

"I have informed the higher authorities concerned, and asked for funds for doing primary work to check the erosion at vulnerable areas, but I have not received any response till now," he said.