Erosion devours homesteads, croplands
Brahmaputra River has continued devouring areas at Dewanpara Naobhangachar in Jamalpur municipality, right, low-lying areas in Islampur upazila in Jamalpur district submerged due to sudden rise of water in the Jamuna. PHOTO: STAR/ FOCUS BANGLA
The river Brahmaputra has devoured more than 40 homesteads in the last one month along Dewanpara Naobhangarchar of Jamalpur municipal area. The river is now only a few yards away from deputy commissioner's office. The erosion started four years ago. But last year it took an alarming turn devouring over 60 homesteads. Besides, a huge tract of cultivable land was eroded in the last four years leaving a good number of people landless. There were about 350 families in the area, mostly marginal farmers. A large number of them turned into day-labourers while several others now pull rickshaws or rickshaw vans. Those who lost their homesteads did not get any support from the district administration though they appealed for khas lands to set up their houses, said Rabiul Alam, an erosion victim. Abdur Rahim, now almost landless by erosion said, “I had four acres of cultivable land. The river has devoured most of my lands leaving only three decimals where I have built a small house on the bank of the river. My family along with two cows is now living in that house”. “As the erosion is going on unabated, I am worried that the river would devour the rest of my land any time," he said expressing fear. There was Care Bangladesh Primary School which also fell victim to erosion last year. Most of its 60 students have dropped out due to lack of school in the area, said villager Billal Mir. The erosion might destroy the rest homesteads and a huge tract of cultivable land this season, he said. Locals in the erosion-hit area told this correspondent that minister, district high officials and WDB officials visited the area last year. They assured them of taking steps but to no effect. Contacted, executive engineer of local Water Development Board (WDB) AKM Shamsul Karim said, local WDB office took a Tk10 crore project to thwart the erosion and submitted it to the higher authorities. "We are waiting for necessary move," he added.
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