Vast areas eroded by gluttonous Jamuna

With the increase of water in Jamuna, different areas of Sirajganj are disappearing little by little every day with its gluttonous clutch. People’s laughter, dreams and savings of life seem to be disappearing with the roar of the river.

Where once there were green crops fields, the bustle of children and settlements of hundreds of families, today there is only a raging river. In the vast grasslands of Sonatani and Gala Unions of Shahjadpur Upazila of Sirajganj, every day now begins with the fear of a new collapse.

Locals said that with the rise of Jamuna water for the past few days, the erosion in the grasslands of Sonatani and Gala Unions has taken a terrible form.
Before the onset of the monsoon season, Sripur, Dhitpur, Kursi, Barpakhia Mohanpur and Brihat Hatkora villages, along with homesteads, about 600 acres of cropland have been lost under the river. At the same time, the collapse spread panic in the entire area.

Centenarian Rahitan Begum of Dhitpur village said, “I have not found happening of such erosion in my life. I have suffered all my life. Now in my last age, Jamuna is taking away everything. I live in a broken tin house with my unmarried daughter. That too at the mouth of the river. If this house also goes, where will we go?

According to local estimates, in the last three months about 300 houses in six villages from Sreepur to Barpakhia have disappeared in the river. At the same time, many structures of mosques and madrasas have also been lost.
In one society the grasslands were the storehouses of vegetables and rabi crops, today there are only scars of river erosion.

This area is full of plantations of various crops including patol, brinjal, rice, almond mashkalai, mustard and is now almost destitute. Rafiqul Islam, a local resident, said that in the last three to four months, 350 to 400 houses have been lost in the river. A few meters of land is being lost every day. The entire grassland is now in a state of panic. He demanded the implementation of the permanent river management project.

73-year-old Atahar Mandal’s life is like a living history of river breaking.
He said that I have lost my residence about 20 times in my life. But this time the breakdown is the worst. Everything is ending before the eyes. No one is on our side. Where will we go nowThe flood has now reached the school.

Sadia Dewantala Sankarhati High School Principal Abdul Rashid said.
The school building collapsed just 50 meters away. Also five government primary schools are at risk. Without immediate action, the future of thousands of students will be uncertain. Shahjadpur Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdullah Al Mamun said that about 250 sectors (617 acres) of cropland have disappeared in the last one year.

New damage is mounting. Shahjadpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sabrina Sharmin said necessary measures will be taken after discussing with the Water Development Board.

In this regard, Sirajganj Water Development Board Executive Engineer Md. Mokhleshur Rahman said, there is currently no project in the Char area of Sonatani and Gala Unions to prevent erosion.

According to him, thousands of crores of rupees are needed to implement the permanent river management project. It is not possible to implement such a big project due to the policy decisions of the government and the necessary funding.