Many in north do not have homes to return to

Hundreds of families in the country's northern region lost their land and houses to river erosion in the last two weeks.

Many of them have taken shelter on nearby roads, embankments or high places, while some are passing days on boats, and the others have shifted to their relatives' homes elsewhere.

The flood situation may improve in the low-lying areas of northern districts -- Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura and Sirajganj -- within the next 24 hours, said a forecast of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre at 6:00pm yesterday.

In Kurigram, the Brahmaputra devoured around 500 houses of 85 families on Porar Char, a remote island in Sadar upazila, said locals.

They are now residing on boats.

"I had a big home and around 15 bighas of farmland. But everything has gone into the river," said Mansur Ali, 76, imam of the Porar Char mosque.

Another victim, Jalal Uddin, 65, a resident of the same area, said, "I saw my house, arable land, fences around the house, furniture and everything going into the Brahmaputra."

Over 700 houses have so far been eroded by the Jamuna in Chowhali and Shahzadpur upazilas of Sirajganj.

"We were well off even two weeks ago. We have house and farmland. But everything has been devoured [by floods]. Now we have taken shelter in a relative's house," said Ambia Khatun, of Hatpachil village in Shahzadpur upazila.

Locals demanded government's effective measures to stop erosion.

"After our house was destroyed, we took shelter in a relative's house that was also damaged by the river a few days later," said Azizul Haque, of Bamangram village in the same upazila.

In Bogura, erosion by the Jamuna has rendered over 700 families homeless in Sariakandi upazila in the last 15 days.

Jahidul Islam, of Malekdair village, was seen taking his household items to a safer place on Thursday.

[Our correspondents in Lalmonirhat, Pabna and Bogura contributed to this report.]