Baral River runs dry despite peak monsoon

 
BARAIGRAM, NATORE, July 26: The Baral River, one of the main lifelines of the Chalan Beel, has remained largely dry despite the peak monsoon season, with residents and campaigners blaming reduced upstream flow, river regulators and years of neglect for the deteriorating condition.

While many parts of the country are grappling with floods, large stretches of the Baral resemble dry fields, raising concerns over the shrinking water availability in the country's largest wetland.

According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the Baral originates from the Padma River at Charghat in Rajshahi and flows through Bagatipara and Baraigram in Natore, Chatmohar, Bhangura and Faridpur in Pabna before joining the Hurasagar River at Baghabari in Sirajganj and eventually the Jamuna.

To retain irrigation water, regulators were installed at Charghat, the river's source, and at Atgharia in Baraigram during the 1981-82 fiscal year. Since then, the river's natural flow has gradually declined, according to BWDB officials.

They said the river once carried around 31,000 to 35,000 cusecs of water, but the flow has now dropped to below 5,000 cusecs.

During a visit to Laxmikol, Royna Morr and Bagdob areas of Baraigram on Friday, this correspondent found much of the riverbed dry. Cattle and goats were grazing on the exposed bed, while small pools of water remained only in pits created by local soil extraction.

Leaders of the Baral Protection Movement alleged that no comprehensive initiative has been taken to restore the river despite repeated demands.

They said the construction of regulators and embankments disrupted the river's natural flow, while illegal encroachment and unchecked siltation have further narrowed and shallowed the channel.

According to BWDB sources, a Tk 13.03 crore project was undertaken in the 2008-09 fiscal year to dredge parts of the Narad and Musa Khan rivers and the intake channel of the Baral regulator at Charghat to restore water flow.

Around 19.1 kilometres of river and intake channel were dredged, and the work was completed in February 2010. However, campaigners say the project failed to revive the river.

Mizanur Rahman, Member Secretary of the Baral Protection Movement, said they had organised a 220-kilometre human chain and several other programmes demanding dredging at the river's source, removal of regulators and eviction of illegal encroachers.

"Some minor works have been carried out, but the main demands remain unfulfilled," he said.

Repeated attempts to contact the executive engineer of the Natore BWDB were unsuccessful.

However, Rajshahi BWDB Superintend of Engineers Prabir Kumar Goswami said a Tk 528 crore dredging project covering several rivers had been submitted for approval.

"If the project is approved, it will help restore navigability and ensure water flow throughout the year," he said.