Gaibandha town threatened, village in Moulvibazar goes under river

A frantic effort by the workers of the WDB to repair Gabandha town protection embankment where breaches developed at five point, left, three villagers took shelter on the damaged Dhalai flood protection embankment. in Moulovibazar yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

Our Gaibandha Correspondent reports: Gaibandha town has been threatened due to development of breaches at 10 points of the town protection embankment, according to sources in the Water Development Board (WDB).

The breaches were developed due to surging water of flood caused following onrush of water from upper catchment along the Ghagot basin. If the situation remains static, floodwater might overflow the embankment causing inundation of the pourashava area.

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The embankment is most vulnerable at five points, said Gaibandha WDB executive engineer. The most alarming situation is at Goderhat point, he said.

High officials including the chief engineer and the superintending engineer of WDB, Rangpur region visited the affected points. They assured people that they are repairing the damaged portion of the embankment by creating fund on an emergency basis, said WDB chief engineer Abdul Wadud Mia.

The Ghagot was flowing 20 centimetre above the danger mark while the Teesta and the Brahmaputra were flowing below the red mark as on Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, the WDB stored thousands of concert blocks for dumping in the erosion affected areas of Fulchhari upazila. At present, the Fulchhari Upazila Parishad building is on the verge of collapse.Local Shaheed Miner complex and the mass grave of martyred freedom fighters are also threatened.

Five villages in Khatlamari union under the upazila have been submerged due to flood water causing extensive damage to standing crops.

Our Moulvibazar Correspondent reports: A portion of a Hiramati village under Madhabpur union in Kamalganj upazila went under the River Dhalai following development of breaches at the newly-constructed Dhalai flood protection embankment.

Twelve affected indigenous Monipuri families Hiramati already left their village in search of new shelter.

Meanwhile, other families have left the village during last year's flood.

State Minister for Water Resources Goutam Chakravarty visited the village after the flood and allocated funds to construct Dhalai flood protection embankment on emergency basis. But it has been alleged that the local administration did not construct the embankment in due time. They started its work in the rainy season in an unplanned manner. At present the work remains incomplete, alleged people. This has resulted in damage of the embankment and inundation of the village, they alleged.

However, Madhabpur Uniohn Parishad (UP) chairman Pushpa Kumar Kanu denied the allegations saying, the work was completed as per schedule.

Our Staff Correspondent reports from Bogra: At least 1, 450 families rendered homeless in Kurigram due to river erosion in a week.

About 13 square kilometre (skm) areas of Rajibpur Sadar and Mohongonj union in Rajibpur upazila of Kurigram have been eroded by three rivers including the Brahmaputra.

Kurigram Deputy Commissioner (DC) office sources said that at least 8,000 people have been living under the open sky since last week.

A senior official said that 1,700 hectares of cultivable land have been eroded by the Bramaputra, Sonavory and Halholia rivers in last week.

Sources in Rajibpur Upazila Nirbahi Office (UNO) said a four-kilometre embankment eroded in Rajibpur upazila last week. But Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) is yet to take any initiative to protect the area.

At least 250 families took shelter on embankments on the rivers Bramaputra, Halolia and Sonavory. As many as, 25-kilometre road was damaged in two unions of Rajibpur upazila during the period.

Kurigram DC Azizur Rahman told journalists a special message was sent to the ministry concerned to send relief materials including 8,000 Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) cards for the distress people.

Our Khagrachhari Correspondent reports: River erosion turned serious in the hill district following swelling of almost all the rivers in the ongoing rainy season.

Many people in Khagrachhari Sadar, Dighinala, Laxmichhari, Mohalchhari, Manikchhari and Ramgour upazilas reportedly shifted their homesteads to safer places.

Local people said, water in the rivers Chenghi, Mainee and Feni swelled by one and a half feet within 10 days of the rainy season. High tide due to onrush of hilly water might be the reason of massive erosion, they said.

The worst affected villages are situated on the bank of the rivers Chenghi, Maimee and Feni in Gonjapara, Shavdamiyapara, Rajjamonipara, Khabangpuriya, Aparnachowdhuripara in Sadar upazila, Fatemanagar, Sutakarmapara, Latiban,Barkal Abilashpara in Panchhari upazila, Anandapara, Lasaripara in laxmichhari upazila, Sonaiful, Mohamuni, Darogapara in Ramgour upazila, Boalkhali, Hasinsonpur, Merong, Babuchhara in Dighinala upazila and Babupara, and Mohalchara in Mohalchhari upazila.

Villagers shifted at least 45 houses of Gonjapara village in Sadar upazila to safer places in last one month due to massive erosion.

At least 15 villages in Sadar upazila are threatened by erosion, sources in the administration said.

Many educational institutions, government offices, BDR camps and mosque are at stake in four upazilas. Thousands of acres of cultivable land were already devoured by the rivers.

It has been alleged that the WDB officials are inactive to mitigate the sufferings of the people.