Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Epaper
BREAKING: ● BNP demands steps against ABM Khairul Huque at dialogue with CA      ● 3 die in Sherpur flood; 60,000 stranded      ● Ex-president Badruddoza Chowdhury passes away      ● Killing during students' movement: 9 bodies to be exhumed in Sylhet      ● Malaysian prime minister leaves Dhaka for home      ● CA seeks Malaysian support for Bangladesh to be ASEAN dialogue partner      ● Malaysian PM assures of attention to 18,000 Bangladesh workers       

20 villages submerged at Ramgati for lack of dam

Published : Monday, 29 July, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 136
Riaz Mahmud Binu
RAMGATI, LAXMIPUR, July 28: In the absence of sustainable embankment, abnormal tide in the Meghna River in Ramgati Upazila of the district is submerging localities, agricultural fields and fisheries,  twice a day.

So far, 20 villages have been inundated in the upazila.
According to field sources, the tidal water has been continuing to flood vast areas in the upazila for the last one week; roads, culverts, and Aman paddy fields are flooded.
Compared to any time in the past, the tidal water is flowing above 5-7 feet higher than normal level. 
Almost all houses in 20 villages including Chargazi, Borokheri, Charramiz, Chargoasi, Bibirhat, Charalgi, Charmohar, Charneyamat, Munsirhat, Sebagram, Banglabazar, Asolpara, Charalexandar and Charabdullah have been inundated. 

The normal life in these localities is hampered, and over one lakh marooned people are living in inhuman condition. 

In fact, a humanitarian crisis has been created due to various problems including drinking water crisis and food hardship. 

Locals said, the entire 31 kilometre (KM) coastal area of Ramgati-Kamalnagar have been under threat due to lack of sustainable embankment. 

That tidal deluge hits these localities yearly during the full moon and off moon.
Fish enclosures, ponds, agriculture lands, seedbeds, roads and culverts were submerged.

A total of Tk 3,100 crore have been allocated for construction of the 31 km embankment under the Meghna Bank Protection Project. But it was not constructed timely.

A visit found damaged muddy and metalized roads and culverts in different areas in Chargosai and Charalexandar; communications have been disrupted.

On these is the Janata Bazar-Munsirhat Road. This 3km road has developed breaking in most parts; its two culverts  collapsed, causing sufferings to 20,000 people. 

Many were seen living on the old embankment. Inundated people are suffering food cooking due to submerged ovens.

According to sources at the upazila agriculture office, about 20 Aman hectares of seedbeds have been flooded. 

The tide started to hit repeatedly at a time when all Aman fields were being prepared for sapling plantation. Now farmers are in fear of suffering huge agricultural setbacks.
Huge damages were reported in different educational institutions.

A total of 30 educational institutions including Ramgati Achhia Pilot Girls High School, Raghunathpur Pallimangal High School, Ramgati Government Primary School, Raghunathpur Government Primary School, Charramiz Dakkhin Pachwim Government Primary School, and Balurchar Islamia Alim Madrasa have been inundated.

Farmer of Charalgi area Sayed Ali and farmer Shahabuddin of Charramiz Union said, "If the tidal trend continues for few days, we will be in problem with our seedbeds."

Shahadat and Monowar Hossain of Chargosai,  Samsul Islam of Borokheri, and Md Ali of Balurchar Munsirhat said, "We are passing times somehow with our families in confining condition; if the embankment would be constructed, it would not happen such difficult situation. "

Borokheri Union sources said, five wards out of total nine of the union have been flooded as these are adjacent to the coast of the Meghna River; several houses in these wards were washed away.
One mosque in Raghunathpur area was damaged almost fully.

Union Chairman Hasan Maksud Mizan said, people of these localities became all lost due to Cyclone Remal impact; taking loans many repaired their ransacked houses; but now the tide has started to hit.
The government has already allocated 25 metric tons (MT) of rice, he added.
The list of victims has been sent to the upazila office.

Three MT of allocated rice were distributed among victims at Charalexandar Union.
One month back, the 3 km Janata Bazar-Munsirhat Road in the union was repaired at Tk 3.5 lakh. But it was broken again. 

Some members of the union said, most damages occurred in that union.
Union Chairman Shamim Abbas Suman said, all the damaged roads were repaired; but these roads get broken yearly due to tidal hit.

To restore communications, bamboo bridges have been raised in several areas, he added.   
Upazila Agriculture Officer Abu Sayed Tareq said, as the tidal water goes away instantly, there is not much risk of seedbed damaging. 

"Yet there is a bit concern of damaging because of stranded water in the seedbeds; but we have saplings of Aman," he added

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sayed Amjad Hossain said, affected areas have been inspected amid the tidal situation; already allocations have been given to several areas.

Besides, in association with union parishads, the list of victims will be prepared for government supports, the UNO maintained.



LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Seven found dead in five districts
3,086 puja mandaps being set up in five districts
Unplanned RCC footover bridges turn useless 
26 nabbed with drugs in 12 districts 
RWASA plans to install meters to reduce system loss
Load-shedding hampers treatment in Kamalganj hospital 
T-Aman fields growing brightly at Amtali
Bithi becomes widow before first marriage anniversary! 
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: info©dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝