DPPs awaiting approval from the Planning Ministry

Rehennuma Tarannum Rifat:

Thousands of people, who live along the Jamuna riverbank under Kazipur, Chowhali, Belkuchi and Shahzadpur upazila in Sirajganj district, have been passing days and nights amid extreme fear of river erosion due to lack of permanent riverbank protection dam.

Partial view of Jamuna basin area. Photo: Collected

Although, the concerned authorities of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) have submitted several Development Project Proposals (DPPs) to the concerned ministry for the construction of riverbank protection embankments in the vulnerable areas of three upazilas of the district, the files have remained stuck up at the Planning Ministry due to bureaucratic complications. As a result, the BWDB is still unable to meet the expectations of the people affected by the river erosion.

Partial view of Jamuna basin area in Sirajganj. Photo: Collected

According to the sources, several areas including Bhetuaghat, Khasrazbari, Tekani, Chargirish and Nishchintapur in Kazipur upazila, Kawakhola and Ratankandi in Sirajganj Sadar upazila, Rupsha, Koijuri, Hatpanchil, Sonatuni and Belotia in Shahzapur upazila, Mulkandi, Doshkhada and Khidrochapri in Belkuchi upazila and Soudia Chandpur, Bhuterdewri, Baghutia, Khaspukuria, Ghorjan, Umorpur and Khaskawlia in Chowhali upazila are considered as highly erosion prone.

Sensing the matter, the BWDB authorities plan to establish permanent riverbank protection dam at several points in the district to protect the locality from the clutch of devastating erosion.

Partial view of erosion affected area.

In this context, a DPP signed by Aminul Islam, Chief Engineer (Planning) of BWDB was submitted to the concerned authorities on January 27 this year seeking approval of a project involving Tk 670.32 crore.

Earlier on November 11, 2025, another DPP was submitted by Dr Shyamol Chandra Das, the then Chief Engineer (Planning) of BWDB to the Water Resources Ministry seeking approval of project. Not only that, several other project proposals including file of Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Investment Program (FREMIP) have been stuck up at the concerned ministry for the next move. If those are approved and the projects are implemented timely, people of the affected areas will get relief from the onslaught of erosion and damages, insiders said.

Gobinda Das, a resident of Nishchintapur union of Kazipur upazila of the district said, “I have shifted my homesteads to elsewhere in five times of my life due to river erosion. Now I have become tired and disappointed as I have reached at the last stage of age. Now I think, where I shall go, if my home goes to riverbed again.”

Like me, hundreds of people living along the Jamuna riverbank have lost their homesteads year after year. If permanent riverbank protection dam is constructed, many villages and installations will get protection from the clutch of erosion, he added.

Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, Executive Engineer of WDB in Sirajganj. Photo: Collected

Md Mokhlesur Rahman, Executive Engineer of BWDB in Sirajganj said, “We are eager to protect the lives and valuable assets of people in the vulnerable areas. If some Development Project Proposals (DPPs) stuck up at the concerned ministry are approved immediately, we would be able to start development works in the area. Otherwise, now we have nothing to do for the people. We are now passing almost idle time at our office for want of development works.”