| HEADLINE |
|
Brahmaputra erosion destroys 17 homesteads in a week
Published : Monday, 19 October, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Observer Online Report
Severe erosion along the Brahmaputra River has destroyed 17 homesteads in a week in Char Shaulmari union of Roumari upazila in Kurigram, leaving families homeless and threatening agricultural land.
The erosion has hit Sukhervati and Khedaimari villages, where riverbank collapses have also swallowed Aman paddy fields, maize plots and vegetable farms. As the river continues to encroach on farmland, farmers are rushing to harvest standing paddy, including crops that have yet to mature.
Local residents said around 550 families had lost their homes to river erosion in the upazila over the past year. Many affected families have taken shelter in the open or on other people's land, while some farmers have lost substantial portions of their cultivable land.
Residents alleged that geobags placed along the riverbank six to seven months ago had also been washed away because of inadequate supervision and the absence of permanent concrete-block protection. The erosion has intensified, raising fears of further losses in the riverine villages.
According to local representatives, seven homesteads were lost in Sukhervati and another 10 in neighbouring Khedaimari over the past week. They also reported damage to agricultural land, including a 1.5-bigha Aman paddy field that was entirely swallowed by the river and another four-bigha plot, one bigha of which was lost.
Local government representatives said erosion had become severe in Sukhervati, Khedaimari and Sonapur. They said geobags alone had proved insufficient to protect the riverbanks and called for permanent measures, including concrete blocks. They also said affected families were struggling to rebuild their homes without financial assistance.
A local water development board official said the agency currently had no budget allocation for emergency erosion-control work. The official added that the matter had been reported to higher authorities and a project proposal for permanent protection had been submitted for consideration.
- MaT
Loading...
Loading...
Also read
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
