Ashraful Islam Joy:

With the rising of water, the river Jamuna has devoured about 150 homesteads and 350 acres of croplands in different areas of Shahzadpur upazila in Sirajganj district in the last seven days.

The erosion affected families have been leading miserable lives under the open sky after taking shelter on embankments and roadsides.

Locals said, about 150 homesteads and 350 acres of croplands in several villages including Brahmangram, Arkandi, Jalalpur, Monakosa, Hatpanchil and Veka in the said upazila have been devoured by the river Jamuna in the last seven days making many people homeless and distressed.

Some of the families have been living in makeshift homes, while many are still under open sky. They are passing days with half or without meal due to lack of work and income.

Behula Bewa, 40, of Khukni union of the upazila said, “The erosion takes serious turn during recession or rising of water. Now, the erosion has started due to rising of water coming from upstream. In this circumstance, we are leading miserable life for want of assistance by the government or NGOs.”

Sharifa Begum, 35, of Brahmangram village in the upazila said, “Many people of this area have become landless due to continuous erosion going on year on year.”

“Though, the government undertakes several projects to prevent erosion, it doesn’t come to help due to proper implementation of the project in time. WDB workers lend their hands in work during rainy season. If they used to work in dry season, such situation would not create,” said many of the same area.

“If necessary steps are not taken immediately, many more homesteads and installations in the area will go to riverbed,” they added.

Mahbubur Rahman, Executive Engineer of WDB in Sirajganj said, “A project involving at Tk 650 crore is going on in the erosion prone areas of Shahzadpur upazila. After completion of the project, erosion will come to reduce.”

It is to be mentioned that, the water of Jamuna river near Sirajganj town protection embankment was flowing 1.29cm below the danger mark on Monday. The trend of water rising is likely to continue due to rains and onrush of water from upstream. In this situation, there is a possibility to inundating different low-lying areas and croplands in five upazilas of the district that may lead flash floods.