Self-help the best help that helped them succeed

People of Gobindi village halt erosion by Jamuna

5 August 2009, 17:00 PM

K M Rezaul Haque, Gaibandha

Villagers rendering voluntary service to prevent erosion by the Jamuna River that threatened a large area in Gaibandha for a long time. Photo: STAR

The residents of Gobindi village in Saghata upazila have been able to save homesteads of 200 families, lands, educational institutes, mosque and temple from the erosion by Jamuna River through voluntary service using local resources. Recently erosion by the Jamuna engulfed large areas including farmlands, structures and trees at nearby Majhipara village and threatened Gobindi and adjoining areas including mass grave of Liberation War, Fulchhari College, two madrasas, two mosques and two temples. The affected people, both men and women, joined self-help service to divert the water course with the help of local resources like bamboo, sand bags and tree logs about two weeks ago. A good number of villagers gave physical labour voluntarily while many people supplied bamboo, gunny or plastic bags and tree logs and donated cash to make the programme a success as freedom fighter Abdur Rahim, Abdul Aziz Fakir and Suruzzaman of the village organised local people for the purpose. “We started the work voluntarily almost without any resources. But spontaneous support from the people helped us to reach the goal,” said Abdur Rahim. “We have already erected nine bamboo spars along western bank at Kamarpara and been able to divert the water course eastward,” said Abdul Aziz Fakir. When the work nears completion, a large number of men and women are still working in their venture to save themselves. “Earlier we appealed to local Water Development Board to stop erosion on several occasions, but to no effect,” said Saghata upazila Chairman advocate Golam Shahid Ranju. However, the measure is a temporary one and the situation might change at any moment if water level of the Jamuna rises further, said several villagers.