Karatoa set to erode Ashrayan houses at Ghoraghat

GHORAGHAT, DINAJPUR, July 22: In Ghoraghat Upazila of Dinajpur, over a hundred homesteads, including those of the Ashrayan project, are at risk of being lost to the  continuous onslaught of the Karatoa River. 

Day by day, the river is consuming dreams, homesteads, farmlands, and the last remnants of people’s livelihood. 
On Tuesday, a visit to the Ashrayan project and the riverine areas in Kulanandanpur Napitpara, under Bulakipur Union in Ghoraghat Upazila, revealed this grim reality. 

Locals reported that heavy rainfall over several consecutive days has raised the water level of the Karatoa, intensifying the erosion to a terrifying degree. The riverbank has collapsed, bringing water dangerously near the Ashrayan project. Several houses within the project have already become vulnerable. Simultaneously, the homesteads and cultivable lands of many permanent residents along the river are being consumed. Each day, the erosion reduces agricultural land and erases memories of households built over years.

Golapi Begum, a resident of the Ashrayan project, said, “After much hardship, the government gave us this house to live in. Now, I fear losing this very home. I cannot sleep at night. I am constantly anxious about when the river will take everything. We need to be relocated to a safe place.”

Nur Islam, a local permanent resident, stated, “It is not just the Ashrayan houses; the river is also swallowing our homesteads and farmlands. One plot after another is being destroyed. With small children, we are worried about where to go and how to survive.”
Another resident, Suraiya Begum, said, “My heart pounds whenever it rains. Large cracks have appeared on the riverbank. The fear that our house might fall into the river at any time constantly haunts us.”

Locals have complained that although the Karatoa’s erosion has continued for a long time, no effective permanent measures have been taken. Every monsoon, the river’s aggression engulfs new areas. If prompt action is not taken, in addition to the Ashrayan houses, over a hundred surrounding homesteads, vast farmlands, rural roads, and communication networks could suffer severe damage.

Mohammad Morshed Alam, President of the Shaheed Ayub Ali Smriti Sangsad and Library in Kulanandanpur Village, said, “The continuous erosion of the Karatoa is now taking away not just land but also people’s dreams, security, and the certainty of their future. If effective steps are not taken quickly to stop the river’s devastation, the government-provided Ashrayan homes will be lost to the current, and many old riverbank families will be rendered homeless. Their only plea is that the river does not empty any more mothers’ laps or take away the last roof over any child’s head.”

The locals have demanded urgent riverbank protection, sustainable erosion control measures, and safe rehabilitation not only for the families of the Ashrayan project at risk but also for the affected permanent residents along the river.
Regarding the matter, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rubana Tanjin said, “The Ashrayan project issue is being viewed with seriousness.

We have already informed the Water Development Board, and a project has been undertaken. Necessary measures will be taken very soon to ensure the safety of the vulnerable families. Additionally, coordinated efforts with relevant authorities are ongoing to take swift action to prevent river erosion.”