Shoilmari River in its death throes

BATIAGHATA,  KHULNA, Mar 7: The Shoilmari River  in Batiaghata Upazila of the district is going to die.
According to field sources, the river has been in the moribund stage as char has grown up on its mouth.
The river is about 90 kilometres; boat plying has almost been suspended. In the full tide time, few boats are seen plying; but in the off-tide, boat cannot enter.
The Kazibacha River is the origin of the Shoilmari River. Moving to east, it has met with the Shibsa River.
Water of beels (water bodies) in Batiaghata, Dumuria and Paikgachha upazilas make the flowing through Shoilmari.
At present, foot-crossing is taking place in the river as its estuary has been filled with the char (island). As a result, sluice gates of different beels have become blocked; beels  cannot extract waters through the sluice gates.
During the rainy season every year, standing crops and houses get submerged due to stranded water.
Already several rivers and canals in Nalua of Batiaghata, one portion of the Poshur River, Kharia River, Amtala River, and Japjapia River have been filled fully.  
Upazila Chairman Ashraful Alam Khan said, measures should be taken soon to protect the Shoilmari River.
"I will talk with the authorities concerned in this connection," he assured.
He further said, water-logging will be created in different beels in southern region if these rivers are not re-excavated; crop production including paddy will be hampered.
Executive Engineer of Water Development Board in Khulna Polash Banerjee said, there is a filling-path to Japjapia and Manga River connected  with the Shoilmari River; a letter has been sent to the Water Resources Ministry to dredge these rivers.
If these rivers are excavated, life will return to Shoilmari with increasing current, he mentioned.