River erosion intensifies at Nageshwari 

 *    More than 300 houses lost in a month
 *    Residents demand permanent erosion control

NAGESHWARI, KURIGRAM, July 25: Relentless river erosion has left hundreds of families homeless in Kurigram's Nageshwari Upazila over the past month, with more than 300 houses washed away as the Dudhkumar, Brahmaputra and Gangadhar rivers continue to eat into riverbanks.

The erosion, triggered by strong currents following an upstream surge, has also destroyed vast tracts of cropland, orchards, bamboo groves and other permanent structures across several unions, forcing many families to relocate repeatedly.

Local people said the meandering rivers have intensified erosion as water levels fluctuated in recent weeks. Large cracks have appeared along riverbanks before collapsing into the rivers, steadily pushing the channels towards inhabited areas.

The worst-hit unions include Bamandanga, Berubari, Nunkhawa, Kaliganj, Narayanpur, Rayganj, Kochakata and Ballaverkhas, where long-established settlements are disappearing while newly formed char lands remain highly unstable.

Many displaced families have rebuilt makeshift homes on embankments using bamboo and straw collected with the help of neighbours, while others have migrated elsewhere after losing everything.

Residents alleged that although the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) occasionally dumps geo-bags or sandbags at vulnerable points, the measures have failed to halt the erosion due to the absence of permanent riverbank protection.

In Kutir Char of Bamandanga Union alone, around 60 houses have been lost over the past month, according to local Union Parishad member Babul Mia.

He warned that Ward No. 7 could disappear into the Dudhkumar if immediate steps are not taken.

"My own house has already been washed away. If effective action is not taken now, people here will lose everything," he said.

Babul added that local residents had repeatedly appealed for permanent erosion control. Following a human chain programme, the BWDB placed around 1,000 sandbags along the bank, but the protection proved inadequate.

The Dudhkumar has also washed away around 40 houses in Char Damalgram, Fander Char and Hajir Morr Mollarvita.
Ataur Rahman Appel of Hajir Morr said every moment was now filled with uncertainty as families feared losing their homes.

Majiran Begum of Mollarvita, a widow, said the small plot where she lives beside a roadside near the river could disappear at any time.

"I don't know where I will go if my house is washed away," she said.

The Dudhkumar has also swallowed a large section of Fakirganj in Nunkhawa Union, where about 40 families have lost their homes, while another 20 families in Beparir Char have been displaced.

The Gangadhar River is eroding Majhipara in Ballaverkhas Union.

In Narayanpur Union, erosion by the Brahmaputra and Gangadhar rivers has destroyed around 150 houses over the past month in Chouddaguri, Purba Balarhat, Paschim Balarhat, Kanyamati, Balarhat Bazar, Mohsiner Char, Nawaber Char, Padmar Char, Ashtashir Ghat and Baharer Ghat. The Balarhat Bazar Mosque also remains under threat.

Upazila Project Implementation Officer Mofakkharul Islam said the administration had sought corrugated iron sheets, housing grants and dry food from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief through the deputy commissioner for affected families.

BWDB Executive Engineer Rakibul Hasan said erosion is continuing at 38 points across different rivers in Kurigram.

"We are placing geo-bags at the most vulnerable locations, including erosion-hit areas in Bamandanga and Rayganj unions, to reduce the damage," he said.

Kurigram-1 lawmaker Anayarul Islam said he had repeatedly raised the issue with the BWDB and relevant ministries, both before and after being elected.

"I have also placed the matter before parliament and submitted several applications seeking permanent erosion control and relief for affected families. Our efforts are continuing," he said.