A private initiative benefits thousands of farmers

People taking a break while giving finishing touches to the reconstructed embankment at Balabaria in Satkhira. The dam brought new hope for them.. PHOTO: STAR

They can now raise crops after seven years. Many villagers who had left homes are now building houses anew.

Vast croplands were under water even in dry season since the embankment collapsed in 1995. Many had left homes and had taken shelter on high lands, roads and at the upazila headquarters.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Since 1995, the embankment was reconstructed thrice but it collapsed during flooding seasons.

About 5000 acres of land is now flood-free, which will benefit over 10,000 people, local people told this correspondent during a recent visit.

This year, the embankment has been built at the initiative of Seaborne Shrimp, a local fishery company.

But it is not for free. The company has leased about 500 acres of land from farmers for four years for shrimp cultivation at the rate of Tk 3000 per bigha per year. They will pay the farmers for three years. There will be no lease money for the first year.

The company spent Tk 2.50 crore for reconstruction of the embankment, its spokesman Mohammad Abdul Hai told this correspondent.

According to Water Development Board sources, the embankment had collapsed on May 16, 1995. The WDB reconstructed it in august that year at a cost of Tk two crore. But it collapsed again that year.

In 1998, WDB reconstructed eight kilometres of embankment in the area at a cost of Tk 7 crore. But the half-a- kilometre collapsed embankment at Balarabia village could not be reconstructed due to strong current of water.

More than 2000 families in four villages had become homeless as their houses were damaged completely.

The company started the reconstruction work in October 2002 and completed it in January this year.

Kartik Mondal, Abdul Jalil, Monoranjan Dhali, Santosh Mondal, Abdur Rashid of Balabaria village said they will now go back to their ancestral homes and grow crops again on their lands as those are flood-free nows.

While talking to journalists, parliament member from the area Maulana Riasat Ali said the initiative by the Seaborne Shrimp is praiseworthy as the Water Development Board failed to do the job.

Besides benefiting the affected people, it will also earn foreign exchange, he said.