River erosion leaves 3,000 families homeless annually

Around 3,000 families become homeless every year due to unabated erosion of the Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers in Kurigram and Lalmonirhat, said Kurigram Relief and Rehabilitation Centre sources.

The rivers persistently gobble up homesteads, croplands, orchards and various government establishments including educational institutes situated on the banks.

Some 15,720 erosion–hit families have been given government aid in the two districts during the last five years, said Kurigram Relief and Rehabilitation Centre Officer Abdul Hye Sarker.

However, sources concerned said no survey was conducted to assess the losses caused by the river erosion.

Several hundred people affected by the erosion of the Dharla River recently formed an hour-long human chain on the river bank at Gorokamandal area at Nawdanga union under Fulbari upazila of Kurigram, demanding measures to prevent erosion.

Nawdanga Union Parishad Member Ayez Uddin said several homesteads, about half a kilometre of road and 300 bighas of cropland in the area have been eroded by the Dharla River.

Erosion has taken a severe turn at Gorokamandal during the last month.

A5t present, about 300 homesteads, several hundred bighas of arable land, a government primary school, two madrasas, four mosques and a government housing project are under threat of erosion, he added.

Executive Engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board Abdullah Al- Mamun said the government spent Tk 250 crore to prevent erosion of Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers during the last five years.

“We have sought more allocation from the ministry to prevent further erosion of those rivers,” he added.

Teesta Bachao Nodi Bachao Sangram Parishad President Nazrul Islam Haqqani said frequent floods and unabated river erosion cause huge destruction of life and property in northern districts every year. Most of the victims are from the Teesta River basin area.

The Teesta flows through five districts of the northern region — Rangpur, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram. Around two core people live in these five districts.

The implementation of the much-talked Teesta mega project — Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP) — undertaken by the government is essential to eliminate the suffering of the people, loss of properties and the devastation of the environment in the region. Moreover, it is expected to facilitate cultivation on around 80,000-90,000 hectares of land in the northern region.

Rafiqul Islam, 55, a farmer from Char Biddanado union under Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram, lost his homestead and seven bighas of croplands to the Teesta. He has nothing to support his five-member family which now lives on another one’s land. Finding no alternative, he has turned into a rickshaw-puller to bear the family expenses.

He said, “Hundreds of families have been forced to go below the poverty line losing their homes and properties to the unabated river erosion. Many families have left their ancestral villages being victims of river erosion.”

The Teesta has turned Saleha Begum, 55, from Folimari village under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, into a destitute, devouring her homestead and eight bighas of croplands including a banana orchard. Her husband is now a day labourer. They have no ability to build a house by buying land. She and her six family members now live in a makeshift home built on a government highland.

Jobber Ali Miah, 50, of Charshowlmari village under Rowmari upazila said he lost his house and six bighas of arable lands in Brahmaputra erosion.

Shawkat and Moziron, a couple from Rosulpur village at Begumganj union under Ulipur upazila of Kurigram, are passing their days amid panic as their house might be eroded by the Brahmaputra River at any moment.

Shawkat said many houses and croplands of the village have already been eroded by the river. At least 50 families have taken shelter to neighbours’ houses or government highlands losing their homesteads and properties.

“It takes a long time to build a home for a family. We have nothing to save the house and no place to relocate it. It is uncertain where we would live if the river devours our house,” said Moziron with tearful eyes.

Begumganj UP Chairman Bablu Miah said most of the families of his union have become helpless losing everything to the river.

Ulipur UNO Bipul Kumar said the upazila administration is providing the highest government allocation and aid for Begumganj union as it is the most affected area.

Executive Engineer of Lalmonirhat Water Development Board Mizanur Rhaman said every year, the government allocates a huge amount of money for the protection of river banks of the district. But erosion continues on a larger scale in big areas on the river banks that cannot be protected always.