Tk 750cr Meghna riverbank protection project for Raipur awaits ECNEC approval

 
RAIPUR, LAXMIPUR, June 4: A proposed Tk 750 crore riverbank protection project aimed at preventing erosion along the Meghna River in Raipur Upazila is expected to be placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval.

The project seeks to construct a permanent block embankment along erosion-prone areas stretching from Shohor Ali Mor in Raipur to Burir Ghat in Char Romoni Mohon Union.

River erosion has continued to threaten vast areas of North Char Ababil, North Charbanshi and South Charbanshi unions, washing away homes, cropland and public infrastructure over the years.

According to local residents, parts of several villages have already disappeared into the Meghna. A cyclone shelter, mosques, graveyards, Eidgah grounds and a government primary school have also been lost to erosion in recent years.

Gazee Badsha, General Secretary of the BNP in South Charbanshi Union, said more than a thousand houses, along with educational institutions, mosques and other public and private establishments, have been swallowed by the river over the past decade.

He alleged that illegal sand extraction at around 30 locations across the three unions had worsened the erosion.

Faruk Kabiraj, President of the BNP in North Charbanshi Union, said the absence of a permanent embankment along the western side of the flood-control embankment has left residents vulnerable to repeated erosion.

Gokul Chandra Pal, Deputy Assistant Engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in Laxmipur, said dredging work would soon begin in the Hajimara section to improve navigability.

He added that a separate project has been undertaken to construct a block embankment from Shohor Ali Mor to Motirhat.

BWDB Assistant Engineer Robin Ali said a project proposal for the erosion-affected areas of Raipur has already been prepared and sent to the authorities concerned.

Laxmipur-2 lawmaker Abul Khayer Bhuiyan said senior BWDB officials had inspected potential sites for the embankment and expressed hope that the project would receive ECNEC approval soon.

He said the proposed embankment would help protect agricultural land, improve living conditions in the char areas and create employment opportunities for local fishermen.