Home ›› 30 Mar 2023 ›› Nation
The once turbulent Punarbhaba River that flows through Porsha upazila of Naogaon is on the verge of extinction, hampering agricultural activities in the region.
Boro farmers in the area are worried as they cannot irrigate their croplands due to lack of water in the river, said local sources.
Many fishers dependent on the river have left their profession as the river lost its navigability a few years ago.
Locals allege that the river has not been re-excavated for a long time. However, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) district office sources said that the main cause of this is the drop in the water level.
Punarbhaba is a transboundary river of Bangladesh-India originating from the lowlands of Thakurgaon District of Bangladesh. The river's upper part is a few kilometres west of Atrai. The length of the river is 223 km, the average width is 102 metres and the nature of the river is meandering.
The main town of Dinajpur district is located in the basin of this river. The now-dead Ghaghra, Gabura, and Kanchai rivers were once tributaries of Punarbhaba. The river flows south, reenters Bangladesh and travels by the borders of Chapainawabganj and Naogaon districts.
Kamal Hossain, a resident of Naogaon, said that previously many water vessels including boats, steamers and launches uses to travel through the river for various purposes. “The river used to be full to the brim all year round. Traders used to transport their goods via this river to the markets of Gomostapur, Nachol and other upazilas.”
According to the locals, traders used to transport livestock including cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep to trade via the river. Punarbhaba, during its youth, was the central point of the region’s agricultural economy.
Using the river as the only waterway in the area, numerous people built a livelihood through trade. Farmlands on the bank of the river expanded using its water for irrigation.
Punarbhaba was also an endless source of fish of various species. Fish were available throughout the year. As a result, in search of livelihood, numerous fishermen families settled in the villages adjacent to the river.
However, the river is currently filling up with sand because it has not been re-excavated in a long while. As a result, during the monsoon season, the river overflows. And early in the spring, it turns into a dead river.
Ansar Ali, a local said that he was forced to change his profession from fishing as the river is dying out and hardly any fish can be found in the river.
“It becomes risky to fish during the monsoon and the by the dry season Punarbhaba becomes a thin channel with hardly any fish at all. I had to change my profession to make a living and support my family,” he said.
Like him, many fishermen in the surrounding areas have left their profession. The banks of the river have been converted into agricultural land. The local children play on the dried sandbars of the river.
With the slow death of the Punarbhaba River, various possibilities of trade have also been lost.
Resident of Naogaon, social worker Abed claimed that if the government had taken steps to dig the river, there would have been water in it at least throughout the year.
“If there was water in the river throughout the year, it would increase the rice production of the area. However, no initiative has ever been taken to re-excavate or maintain the river. As a result, the banks of the river have turned into cropland,” he said.
Kallol, a resident of Manda area, expressed alarm over Punarbhaba being extinct if not re-excavated soon. “Farmers will lose crops over thousands of hectares of land due to a lack of irrigation water. I expect the related officials will prioritise bringing the river back to its previous glory,” he said.
The Executive Engineer of Naogaon BWDB Md Faizur Rahman said that the river has dried up as the water level in Naogaon has dropped by 70-100 feet.
“However, information and requirements for re-dredging Punarbhaba River are given under the small river-canal-reservoir re-dredging project within 64 districts. If the project is passed, efforts will be made to restore the river to its former state by re-dredging,” he said.
