MEHERPUR, March 11: The re-dredged 29-kilometre part of the Bhairab River in the district has been full of water hyacinth within five years of the re-excavation.
Locals and official sources said, it has been due to lack of post-excavation maintenance.
The water flow of the river is getting obstructed. Aquatic life and biodiversity are under threats.
Fisheries resources are decreasing. Fishers are facing living hardship.
The government has saved lives by re-dredging the river. But due to non-dredging its Indian part, the river has lost its current. If this continues, the river may turn into a dead canal in near future.
According to Water Development Board WDB), the government has decided to re-dredge the remaining part of the river to release fish fry.
A visit to Kathuli, Garabaria, Sahgalpur, Kulbaria, Kalachandpur, and Dariapur area found the river covered with water hyacinth. Some places were found cleaned by locals to take bath.
Elderly Alhamdu Mia, Rahman Sheikh, Macher Ali of Kalachandpur Village in Sadar Upazila said, once there was strong current in the river; before the partition of the country, water vessels used to move on the Bhairab River; cargo ships would go to Kolkata via Khulna, Jashore and Meherpur.
In 2017, when the government re-dredged the river, there was satisfaction and enthusiasm among local people. But due to carelessness and negligence of the department concerned, the river started to lose its usual flow. People started throwing garbage over blanketed water hyacinth. Bad smell started to come out from rotted water hyacinth.
The Bhairab River is flowing through Ujalpur Village of Sadar Upazila. Housewife Ayesha Khatun, a resident of the village, said, many people in the area were used to take bath in clear water after re-dredging; boys and girls were used to catch small fish with small nets; now nobody goes to take bath in the river.
Professor Masud Reza, an environmentalist at Meherpur Sahiuddin Degree College, said, after the re-excavation, the river got its strong current; fish fry were released by government and private agencies; and fishermen started fishing again; some 21 thousand hectares of land would be irrigated with the river water; but within five years, the rive became filled with water hyacinth; the river is also getting polluted due to municipality waste.
Zaker Ali, a resident of Thana Para in the town, said, people are now frustrated over the non-removed water hyacinth.
Mohammad Sahinuzzaman, executive engineer of WDB-Meherpur, said, it is true that the Bhairab River has lost its elegance due to overloaded water hyacinth; recently a machine has been developed in the country to remove water hyacinth; an application has been made to the Head Office of WDB for a machine.
The government has again taken the initiative to re-dredge the remaining 30 km of Bhairab, along with the garbage, he added.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised to re-dredge the Bhairab River on April 17, 2011, during the historic Mujibnagar Day. As part of this, 29 km was re-dredged in Meherpur part. The re-dredging started on April 23, 2015 ranging from Rasikpur Village of Mujibnagar Upazila. It was completed on April 30, 2017. It was re-dredged at Taka 70 crore 65 lakh 51 thousand and 216.
