Kushiyara plays havoc, politicians give false promises

The Kushiara is devouring dwelling houses, bazaars and educational institutions in different upazilas of Sylhet district. Picture shows badly affected Dighaolbak village in Nabiganj upazila. Photo: Star

This process is going on for about fifty years.

By now, lakhs of people have become homeless and several educational institutions have vanished in Dighalbak union under Nabiganj upazila in Habiganj district; Raniganj, Pailgaon and Asharkandi unions under Jagannathpur upazila in Sunamganj; Balaganj in Sylhet and in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila.

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The Water Development Board (WDB) took projects several times, but none was implemented.

The river has devoured the renowned Dighalbak High school.

The school was shifted and construction of a new building is going on with help from expatriates. But the new building is also threatened with erosion now, local people said.

In late 1998, a loop-cutting project was prepared with an estimated cost of Tk 7.5 crore. But it was not approved by the authorities.

The Divisional Commissioner of Sylhet visited the area in August 1999 and wrote a letter to the then water resources minister. The minister also ordered urgent steps to sop erosion, but the project was forgotten.

During the tenure of Awami League government, the then finance minister SAMS Kibria accompanied by the then WDB chairman visited the area, but things remained the same.

The latest appeal was made in June 2000 when the local people gave a memorandum to the secretary, ministry of water resources, who asked the Water Development Board chairman to take necessary steps to check erosion. But nothing happened after that.

Several other memos were given earlier. While talking to the Daily Star some local people expressed their utter disappointment at the role played by politicians and the successive governments.

Mansur Ali, a social worker, said, the erosion is now threatening road links in the areas.