Villagers join hands to combat Jamuna erosion
Army men along with people try to prevent erosion by the Jamuna at Itakuri in Shaghata upazila on Saturday.Photo: STAR
Hundreds of people from all walks of life have joined hands to combat Jamuna erosion at Itakuri in Shaghata upazila on self-help basis. They also supplied sandbags, bambooes, timber and collected money for this. Earlier, a ring embankment was constructed on the western bank of the river a few years ago but it was eroded by flood. Since then over 2,000 homeless people took shelter at a nearby embankment. As the erosion continued unabated, it rendered 300 families shelterless anew in last two weeks. About 1,500 others are now facing the threat of erosion. In face of erosion, local people shifted Hatbari Primary School and Char Haldia Government Primay School to safer places. But Kanaipara Primary School went under the gorge of river. In such a dismal situation, people in the affected areas on Saturday gathered and decided to combat erosion on self-help basis by forming a committee titled, 'Shaghata River Erosion Resistance Committee', said its secretary Akhterul Islam. Abdul Hye, a teacher who lost most of his cultivable land in river erosion said he has supplied timber to combat the disaster. He sought government steps for halting widespread erosion in the area. Delwar, another farm labourer said earlier he shifted two of his huts thrice elsewhere. He said if he faced erosion for the fourth time, then he has no other alternative but to take shelter on embankment. On contact, Gaibandha Water Development Board (WDB) executive engineer Shafiul Azam said that he had appreciated the endevour of local people in combating river erosion. He further said he will send a proposal to the higher authorities on emergency basis to combat erosion. Shaghata union chairman Abdur Rouf presided over Saturday's meeting. Among others, Major Arif of joint forces, Shaghata upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Mustakim Billah Faruki, Gaibandha Water Development Board (WDB) executive engineer Shafiul Azam, , former upazila chairman Altaf Hossain Sarker, Principal Saidur Rahman, Union Parisad (UP) member Lutfar Rahman, Shah Alam Mondol, Mosharaf Hossain and Fazlul Huq Sarker addressed.
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