Erosion hits three Jamalpur unions, 2 Rangpur villages
Swelling Jamuna River continues eroding homesteads and farmlands at Dakkhin Gilabari in Belgachha union of Islampur upazila under Jamalpur district. Photo: STAR
Erosion by Jamuna in Jamalpur and Teesta in Rangpur has rendered a few hundred families homeless. Several hundred families of Belgachha, Chinaduli and Noarpara unions in Islampur upazila of Jamalpur have shifted their houses due to severe erosion by Jamuna in the last one month. During the period, people of Dakkhin Gilabari of Belgachha union bore the brunt as erosion took a severe turn in the area, reports our correspondent. Currently the areas are also experiencing flood due to rise in river water. While visiting the erosion hit areas on Sunday, this correspondent saw Dakkhin Gilabari people hurriedly shifting their houses to safer places as Jamuna River was eroding the village fast in a large scale. At least 5,000 families of Dakkhin Gilabari, Shaha Para of Belgachha union, Kadamtoli Bazar of Chinaduli union and Ulia Bazar of Noarpara union fell victim to Jamuna erosion in the last one month, local sources said. A large number of erosion victims could not shift their houses while many families are yet to get any support either from government or from non-government sources. College student Papia Akter of Paschim Bamna village near Harindhora flood protection embankment under Chinaduli union told this correspondent that almost all the homesteads on the western side of the embankment were devoured by Jamuna river. The river may reach the embankment any time. If it collapses, the erosion might take more serious turn, she said. Contacted, Islampur upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Anwar Hossain Akand said, he visited Dakkhin Gilabari area a few days ago. “We will make a list of erosion victims and send it to higher authorities soon”, he added. In Rangpur, Char Joyramojha, a village of Lakhmitari union and Mirpara, a village of Kolkond under Gangachara upazila may be devoured by the Teesta any time, reports a correspondent. Homesteads of over 50 families of the village were devoured in the last 12 eight days while more than 100 families are counting days as the river is eroding fast. There were at least 750 families in the two villages, said UP chairman of Lakhmitari Faisal Hasan. Last year, during the rainy season, houses of 175 families were devoured by the river. "This year the course of the river has changed and it may hit the densely-populated area,” he said. The UP chairman expressed the fear that if erosion goes on in this way, Joyramojha village will be disappear in near future. Executive engineer of Rangpur Water Development Board Anwar Hossain said there is no project at present to protect the chars from erosion. "We will go for protection work only when erosion hits the main embankment," he added.
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