Erosion takes serious turn

Shahzadpur Correspondent:

With the rising of water level in Jamuna river, erosion has taken serious turn at different places in Shahzadpur upazila of Sirajganj district.

Several villages under three unions of the upazila are on the verge of ruination due to the continuous erosion of the mighty river Jamuna. Of them, nine villages are worst affected, locals said.

A good number of homesteads, different installations like Mosque, Madrasha and educational institutions and even vast tract of croplands in the area have already gone into the riverbed due to strong current of the river, while many others are under threat of erosion.

Locals fear that without immediate intervention, entire villages may vanish at any moment.

Locals said, the erosion has taken serious turn at different places as the Jamuna has started swelling due to onrush of water from upstream.

The river has already devoured more than 50 homesteads and large stretches of populated areas. Many residents are dismantling their homes and relocating elsewhere for safety.

The worst-affected villages include Charthutia of Kaijuri Union; Makra, Dhitapur, Kursi, Baropakhia, Boro Chamtara, and Bantiar of Sonatoni Union; and Bri-Hatkora and Mohanpur of Gala Union.

Kalu Molla, a 70-year-old resident of Dhitapur village, said, “This year, we cultivated bottle gourds, eggplant, paddy, peanuts, black gram, watermelon, vegetables and coriander on the char lands. Everything has gone under water due to swelling of the Jamuna river water. Since the erosion began in 1988, this is the 11th time it has struck us. In 2025, we’ve again lost our homes and croplands. Now, I’m worried—where will we go?”

Monowara Begum, 65, from the same village, added, “This is the 14th time I’ve had to leave my home. Everything has been swallowed by the Jamuna.”

Photo: TDS

Rajina Khatun from Makra village in Sonatoni Union said, “This year, our sandy lands yielded crops like gold. But the erosion has taken everything into the river. These crops were our dream. Now, where will we go? What will we eat?”

Farmer Abdur Rahman noted, “In the past year alone, around 300 houses in five to six villages—from Sripur to Baropakhia in Sonatoni Union—have been washed away. Yet, the Water Development Board (BWDB) has taken no initiative to construct embankments to prevent erosion.”

Nazrul Islam of Kursi village said, “The Jamuna is erasing everything—our cattle market, mosque, madrasa, homes, and farmlands. If this erosion is not stopped, people will be left helpless.”

Shahjadpur Upazila Agriculture Officer Jerin Ahmed told journalist that nearly 280 hectares of cropland across the three unions have been lost to the Jamuna over the past six years. “Farmers whose lands are now being eroded again are facing severe losses,” she added.

Shahjadpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kamruzzaman said, “We will visit the affected areas, assess the damage, and consult with the Water Development Board to take necessary action.”

While contacted, no one of the WDB officials agrees to make comment in this regard.