The riverside villagers in Bhuapur upazila are living amid worries, as erosion by the Jamuna has taken a serious turn due to monsoon.
The river has already devoured homesteads of around 500 families at Kukadair, Valkutia, Khanur Bari and Baintain villages of Govindasi union in the upazila in the last 7-8 days.
Besides, people of different villages under Gabsara, Aurjuna and Nikrail unions are facing serious erosion threat due to rise of water level in the river.
The mighty Jamuna earlier from last week of April to first week of May this year devoured around 1,000 houses, fruit and vegetable orchards and vast tracts of agricultural land in the same villages.
This correspondent, while visiting different erosion affected villages in Govindasi union on Tuesday, found that scores of riverside families left their houses for safe shelters while many others passing days under the open sky.
On the other hand, a large number of panic stricken dwellers are spending sleepless nights for fear of erosion by the Jamuna anytime.
Abdur Rashid of Govindasi said he and many of his neighbours have lost dwelling houses into the Jamuna in the last few days.
"Although the people suffer for Jamuna erosion every year, the authorities concerned seem indifferent. They never take any effective measure to check the erosion," he said.
Chairman of Govindasi union parishad (UP) Aminul Islam Amin said many riverside villages have already disappeared from the map of the upazila due to the erosion by the Jamuna and many more villages will disappear within a short period.
"The river erosion is also threatening the flood control embankment in the area," the UP chairman added.
Contacted, Riazul Hasan, executive engineer of Tangail Water Development Board (WDB) yesterday said, "We do not have any fund to take steps against the river erosion. We have written to the higher authorities for providing necessary fund for the purpose. The work will start only after getting the fund," he added.
Source : The Daily Star
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