Erosion renders 350 families homeless
The Brahmaputra continues to devour homesteads and croplands at Bankmara village under Chilmari upazila of Kurigram district.Photo: STAR
Erosion by the Brahmaputra River has rendered over 350 families at seven villages in Ulipur and Chilmari upazilas homeless in the last one week. The affected villages are Char Gujimari, Char Rumkhana, Anatapur and Shempur of Hatia union under Ulipur and Chimari Ghat, Guatipara and Bankmara of Ramna union under Chilmari. Of those, at least 145 families in Char Gujimari, 20 families in Char Rumkhana, 25 families in Anatapur and 15 families in Shempur villages of Hatia union and 55 families in Guatipara and 105 families in Bankmara of Ramna union were rendered homeless. The erosion-hit people have taken shelter on government land and at their relatives' houses. At least 35 bamboo clusters and about 145 acres of cultivable land of the two unions have been washed away due to the erosion. The river devoured several bamboo clusters and around 50 acres of cultivable land, said Abul Hossain, chairman of Hatia union. Many people of the villages have started cutting down trees and bamboos in fear of the erosion, he added. A 600-meter embankment, built only a month ago in Anantapur area of the union, is also threatened due to the erosion, said the chairman. Victim Abdur Rahim, 50, of Gurati Para in Ramna union, said the erosion devoured his five acres of farmland and five bamboo clusters during the period. Erosion by the river has taken a serious turn in the union, rendering scores of families homeless in Bangmara and Guratipara areas within the last one week, he added. The union chairman Md Nur-E-Elahi said at least 160 families were rendered homeless by the erosion here. Till now no government officials visited the areas, he added. Contacted, Sub-divisional Engineer of local Water Development Board (WDB) Shabibur Rahman said, they have sent a letter to the higher authorities, seeking fund to cope with the situation.
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