19 homes lost to Teesta erosion at Rajarhat in two weeks

RAJARHAT, KURIGRAM, July 6: "Everything was swallowed by the river in the blink of an eye. We somehow managed to move our four houses, but three mango trees and a black plum tree disappeared into the Teesta before we could even cut them down."

With visible grief, Kafi, 35, of Char Bidyananda Village in Kurigram's Rajarhat Upazila recalled the devastation caused by the Teesta's relentless erosion. He said the shock of losing their homestead was so severe that his father, Abdul Kader, 60, died three days later.

"We have taken shelter on someone else's land near Anandabazar. No one sees our suffering," he said.

A visit to Char Bidyananda and Char Taiyabkha villages on Monday found the Teesta continuing to erode its banks along nearly one kilometre, swallowing homes, cropland and trees.

According to local residents, at least 19 houses have been washed away over the past two weeks, leaving dozens of families homeless.

The erosion has also destroyed peanut fields, Aman paddy seedbeds, jute, maize, chilli and vegetable plots, dealing a severe blow to farmers. Locals said the erosion has intensified as the river's water level has receded.

Residents of the two villages formed a human chain on the riverbank, demanding immediate measures to prevent further erosion.

Rostom Ali of Char Taiyabkha said he had lost his homestead to the river five times.

"This time, the river also swallowed two and a half bighas of jute and Aman seedbeds. I have rebuilt my home on someone else's land, but I have received no government assistance," he said.

Abdul Jalil of Char Bidyananda said the erosion now threatens Purbachar Bidyananda Government Primary School and two mosques.

"If the school collapses, children's education will be disrupted. More than 200 houses are also at risk," he said.

Bidyananda Union Parishad Chairman Taizul Islam said around 75 per cent of the union's land area had already disappeared due to erosion over the years.

Kurigram Water Development Board Executive Engineer Rakibul Hasan said river erosion was currently occurring at around 40 locations across the district.

"We have placed around 200,000 geo bags at nearly 30 priority points. However, no budget has been allocated for erosion control works in the char areas," he said.