Ashraful Islam Joy:

Due to lack of appropriate measures by the authorities concerned in dry season, the erosion by the mighty river Jamuna has taken serious turn at different places in Kazipur and Sirajganj Sadar upazila like Shahzadpur upazila of the district in the beginning of monsoon.
Erosion affected people complained that, concerned Water Development Board (WDB) officials start work in the name of protective measures, when the erosion condition goes out of control in rainy season.
If the protective measures were taken in time before starting of erosion in monsoon, people of the river basin areas would not face such as damages, the affected people said adding that, the WDB officials pour crores of Taka in the Jamuna water year on year in the name of protective works allocating emergency funds. In this process, both the contracting firms and WDB officers are benefited through the eye wash game, but people, who live along the river embankment, remain concern over erosion days after days.
Instead of such open swindling with the distressed people of the river basin areas each year, installation of permanent dam is likely to be a better solution, many of the victims claimed.
Locals said, like previous years, this year the Jamuna river has become turbulent before starting of the monsoon season. For the past three weeks, severe river erosion has been wreaking havoc in Bhatpiyari, Shimla and Pachthakuri village in Sirajganj Sadar Upazila. Vast tract of croplands, roads, trees, hat-bazar and other installations of the villages are being devoured by the river Jamuna one after another.
A good number of installations including homesteads have already gone into the riverbed, while many others are under threat.
Finding no way, many people of the affected areas are being forced to shift their homesteads to safer places including roadside, high lands or on neighboring embankment. As a result, concern is mounting among the people.
They said, erosion has intensified due to the emergence of a new shoal on the eastern side of the river that creating strong current. Due to strong current, the erosion is being expanded across a three-kilometer stretch. Despite efforts to combat it by placing sandbags filled with Geo-textile, the river’s destructive force cannot be stopped.
According to the Water Development Board, the water level of the Jamuna River has risen by 150 centimeters between May 16 and 23. Although, the water of the Jamuna river near Sirajganj town point is still flowing about 306 centimeters below the danger mark, erosion continues unabated in the riverside villages. Over the past week, hundreds of bighas of farmland, roads, and trees have been washed away, locals and WDB sources said.
Local social worker Sheikh Md. Enamul Haque, said that, earlier river erosion started with the onset of monsoon. But this year, the situation has been worsened before beginning of the season in full-fledged. People living along the river bank are passing their days and nights in constant fear of losing homes and livelihoods. They have demanded immediate measures to address the crisis.
Mokhlesur Rahman, Executive Engineer of the WDB in Sirajganj declined about their negligence and said, “We have enough preparation to cope the emergency situation. Necessary steps would be taken after inspecting the affected areas.”