Lalmonirhat, Kurigram
Erosion makes 300 families homeless in a week
Erosion by Teesta and Dharla rivers in Lalmonirhat and Brahmaputra in Kurigram has rendered around 300 families homeless in the last one week.
At least a hundred families at five villages under two unions in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila became homeless due to erosion by Teesta and Dharla rivers in the last 5-6 days.
The erosion hit areas are Bapari Tari, Badai Tari under Mogholhat union and Kalmati, Bagdora under Khuniyagachh union, said Water Development Board (WDB) sources.
Erosion hit Delowar Hossain, 40, at Bapari Tari village said,”My homestead was devoured for fourth time by Dharla on Tuesday noon. Now I along with four of my family have taken shelter on a government road.”
The Dharla erosion took a serious turn at Bapari Tari village on Tuesday morning devouring houses one after another, he added.
Dhirendro Nath, 75, said, Dharla from the same day eroded a number of homesteads and cultivable lands of his Badai Tari village.
“I lost my homestead for the sixth time on Wednesday morning,” he said.
Khuniyagchh UP member Anisur Rahman said that Teesta started eroding homesteads, croplands and orchards on Tuesday morning at Kalmati and Bagdora villages of Khuniyagachh union in Sadar upazila. Villagers are leaving their homesteads in fear of more erosion, he added.
Mogholhat UP chairman Habibur Rahman Habib said, at least 50 homesteads at two villages — Badai Tari and Bapari Tari — in his union were devoured by Dharla river in 48 hours until Wednesday noon.
Khuniyagachh UP chairman Khairuzzaman Mandol said, around 50 families at Kalmati and Bagdora villages in his union have been rendered homeless by Teesta.
In Kurigram, erosion by Brahmaputra took a serious turn in the last one week with the increase of the river’s water level.
About 200 families in 19 villages and char areas have become homeless while around 600 acres of cropland washed away during the period, reports our correspondent.
Violent erosion has been reported from char areas in four upazilas of the district.
Most of the victims have shifted their houses to safer places while many are living on the nearest embankment and high lands.
WDB embankment in Ghogadaho union, Bagua Anatapur High School and Anantapur Bazaar in Hatia union are being threatened by the river, sources said.
The 19 erosion-hit villages and chars are Rauliar Char, Bhaisher Kuthi and Char Rasulpur at Ghagadaho union and in Char Ghaneshampur, Char Jattrapur, Bhagobatipur and Ralakata villages in Jatrapur union under Kurigram Sadar upazila, Anantapur, Bhatigram, Kumer Para, Nayagram, Gaburjan villages at Hatia union under Ulipur upazila, Guratee Para and Rajarvita (South) in Ramna union under Chilmari upazila and Nayar Char (Munshi Para), Nayar Char (Bepari Para), Dhakaia Para, Molla Para and Barober Char in Mohanganj union under Rajibpur upazila.
Abdul Gafur Munshi, 65, an erosion victim at Rauliar Char under Ghogadaho union said, “Erosion by Brahmaputra has made me a beggar. Where shall I go with my family and how shall I arrange their meals now?”
In Sadar upazila, Ghogadaho UP chairman Md Abdul Malek said that the river washed away houses of 39 families and over 100 acres of agricultural land in Rauliar Char, houses of seven families and about 50 acres of land in Bhaisher Kuthi village and about 100 acres of land in Char Rasulpur.
In Ulipur upazila, newly elected chairman and former member of Hatia union Md Abul Hossain said, more than 50 families, who lived near WDB embankment in Shayampur village and another 50 families of Bhatigram, Kumer Para, Nayagram, Gaburjan villages under the union lost their houses in the last seven days.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
