Grabbing in Dumuria puts rivers in perilous straits

Encroachment upon the small rivers flowing through Dumuria upazila of Khulna has shrunk their areas largely posing threat of environmental hazards.  A section of local influential people enjoying political clout have taken illegal possession of vast tracts of char (landmass emerged from riverbed) land of the rivers Ambaria, Bhadra, Salta, Khornia, Harinadi, Gangrail and Thukrahamkura.   They have set up illegal structures on the grabbed land turning the rivers into narrow streams at some places, obstructing free flow of their water, creating severe water logging in the areas around the riverbanks.    The water logging problem that has taken a persistent form damages properties cores of taka every year. Dredging of the rivers, to rid the surrounding areas of menacing water logging, has not been possible so far because of obstruction put by the local influential people having link with the ruling party during successive governments.    Local administration has ever seemed to be indifferent to the evil practice.   The influential people have so far occupied nearly 6,500 acres of char land in the seven rivers.   They have built brick kilns, fish farms and business centres on the grabbed lands.    As a result, 1.2 million people are facing environment hazards in 54 unions of Dumuria upazila and its adjacent Phultala, Tala and Keshabpur upazilas. The seven rivers, including Ambaria and Bhadra, have shrunk to small canals due to encroachment.    Many of the encroachers have sold out possession of these grabbed lands.   Businessman Sheikh Rezwan Hossain of Kharnia said politically powerful people are occupying new char land.    As a result, the rivers are losing their normal course.    Once different types of boats, launches and ferries used to ply the rivers but now houses and business centres stand there.   The role of the Water Committee formed to save the rivers also appears to be mysterious.    Kharnia UP chairman Sheikh Didarul Hossain Didar said, “Those who are protectors become predators.”    Local farmers Sheikh Atiar Rahman, Raihan Uddin and teacher Bimal Chandra Boiragi said nearly 1.2 million people of Dumuria and its adjacent upazilas Phultala, Tala of Satkhira and Keshabpur of Jessore face water logging every year due to obstruction to drainage system.   Lecturer of Dumuria Women’s College Aman Ullah and Rudhghara UP former woman member Rozina Parvin said the area faces a dangerous situation for water logging during rainy season.   According to river experts, people of Dumuria upazila and its adjacent upazilas would face disaster unless the seven rivers are retrieved from the grabbers and their navigability restored through excavation work.   Environmentalists said that the rivers were filled up due to deposition of silt following unplanned construction of over 50 sluice gates on the cross dams linking with the seven rivers.    Consequently, lakhs of people are facing water logging every year.    Besides, salinity level of the water is increasing which threatens biodiversity in the area.   Local MP Narayan Chandra Chanda admitting illegal occupation of the seven rivers by land grabbers said drive against the encroachers will start this month to make Dumuria a modern upazila.    Besides, the government has taken a massive plan for digging the rivers, he added.