Jamuna embankment collapse sparks flood fear

At least a 30-metre stretch of the right bank protection embankment at Bahuka in Sirajganj Sadar upazila collapsed into the Jamuna River on Saturday afternoon due to heavy scouring beneath the riverbed.

Following the collapse, panic over possible massive erosion and flooding spread among local residents.
Although officials of the Water Development Board in Sirajganj said they had already taken protective measures at the damaged site, villagers blamed negligence by the WDB, alleging that no preventive steps were taken despite repeated warnings.

Locals claimed that due to the lack of regular bathymetric or hydrographic surveys of the riverbed, the actual condition beneath the embankment remained unknown. They said timely surveys could have helped the WDB assess the risk earlier and take necessary protective measures.

Md Mokhlesur Rahman, executive engineer of the WDB in Sirajganj, told The New Nation that a large portion of soil had been washed away from the riverbed due to strong scouring, triggering erosion from beneath the embankment.

“We have started dum-ping sandbags with geo-textile support at the affected portion with the help of locals to protect the remaining areas,” he said.

Kamal Uddin, a resident of Bahuka village, said locals had lost homesteads and croplands several times due to river erosion.

“With the rise in water level, erosion has taken a serious turn again. If the embankment is not protected properly, Jamuna water may enter the locality and cause flooding,” he said.