Road collapsed into Juri River

Moulvibazar Correspondent :

The main road of Paschim Shilua village in Goalbari Union of Juri Upazila has collapsed and flowed into the Juri River.

On the spot, it was found that the embankment in the middle of Paschim Shilua village has broken and washed into the Juri River, rendering the main road of the village impassable.

A crack of about 200 metres has appeared, with a 40-metre section of road leading directly into the Juri River.

The locals are now fearing for their lives if the middle of West Shilua village is not reinforced.

If the embankment is not permanently constructed using blocks, the main road in this area will be cut off.

Locals stated that the main cause of the breach of the Juri River embankment is the increased depth of the river, which flows through West Shilua, South Shilua, Varadahar, Jalalpur, and Yogimura areas, due to unplanned sand extraction using dredgers over the past 10 years.

As a result, the riverbank is collapsing and being washed away.

Sand extraction was halted following a human chain organised by local people and a written petition to the Deputy Commissioner of Moulvibazar.

However, due to no initiative to construct a permanent embankment, the Juri River’s embankment is now breaking and taking the road along with it. Three important embankments from Kheyaghat to Koylar Ghat have been destroyed, causing hardship to the local population.

Due to erosion of the embankment, five villages are flooded every year, and crops worth crores of taka are destroyed in Shilua Haor. Moreover, several houses have already been submerged in the river.

The village’s main road is impassable, and the local population, including patients, general public, and around three hundred students, are facing severe difficulties in transportation.

The local people have strongly demanded the immediate construction of a permanent embankment between the Kheya Ghat and Koylar Ghat bridge areas.