3 lakh brace for a repeat of flood

A portion of the breached Bhogai river embankment in Hatipagar(Top) and land covered with thick sand layer. PHOTO: Star File Photo

A Tk 4.34 crore project was submitted in November last year for repair of the embankment but it is yet to be approved by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), official sources said.

Last year's flood caused by water rolling down the Bhogai river from India's Meghalaya state damaged crops on several lakh acres, besides causing miseries to people. Vast areas of cropland were covered with thick layers of sand, making those uncultivable.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

With the wet season approaching, people in the three upazilas are worried, taking it for sure that their IRRI-Boro crops will be lost this year also. This correspondent visited the area on Friday and talked to many people, who said last year's flood displaced several thousand people and made as many affluent farmers pauper as their sand-covered lands are uncultivable now. Lands in about 25 villages in Nalitabari upazila became uncultivable.

They said they did not want relief. They wanted repair of breached embankment, which was not done in the dry season due to alleged negligence of the authorities and public representatives.

The Daily Star published three reports on the damage on December 29 last year and on January 9 and February 14 this year.

When contacted, Whip Jahad Ali Chowdhury, lawmaker from the area, said the project has been approved by the Chief Engineer of LGED but the papers are yet to reach the office of Sherpur LGED Executive Engineer (EXN). These will reach offices of Sherpur EXN and Nalitabari Upazila Engineer soon, he hoped.

Asked when the work will begin and whether it will be completed before the rainy season, he said, "I will try my best. I have nothing to do if it (breached embankment) can not be repaired before the rainy season".

Nalitabari Upazila Engineer Ashraful Haque said, "Higher authorities in LGED assured us of approval of the project but we did not get any papers regarding this.

"Even if the project is approved and funds placed, it will not be possible to repair the breach before the rainy season", he said. Hill waters from across the border may cause flash flood in the area any time.

Mohammad Jamal Hossain , EXN of Sherpur LGED, said he did not get any papers regarding sanction of the project. Repair work should start in November, he commented.

He said last year's flood affected 25 villages in Nalitabari upazila and covered vast croplands with sand. This will repeat this year, he said.

Yunus Ali, Chairman of Nayabil Union Parishad said last year's flood made several hundred acres of land uncultivable in his area, besides displacing many people and damaging ready-for-harvest IRRI-Boro crops. As their lands have become uncultivable, many people left homes and went to Dhaka and other cities for survival. More lands will be covered by sand when waters roll down the Bhogai river, he apprehended.

He said local lawmaker Jahad Ali could get the project sanctioned in time had he been sincere. He also blamed LGED for this.

During the visit this correspondent saw many people in Nalitabari preparing to leave homes before floods come.

Widow Karimunnasa, living in a hut at Andaru Para village in Nalitabari upazila, said last year's flood covered her small cultivable land with sand. She will go to Sherpur town before rains start in about a month this year, she said.