About 5,000 residents of Shariakandi upazila have been compelled to move away from their homes recently as the erosions by the Jamuna River in the district took a serious turn in last 15 days.
Sources in the district said several hundred homesteads and vast tract of crop-land at Kamalpur, Bohail, Chandonbaisha and Kutubpur unions have already vanished into the riverbed due to spate caused by incessant downpour during the rainy season.
On the other hand, the erosion has threatened the 1,200-meter flood control embankment streched from Chandonbaisha to Rahodaho.
Shariakandi UNO Zillur Rahman said at least 5,000 people from 1,000 families of the unions have took shelter on the embankment last 15 days.
“To rehabilitate the people, we have already sent a demand letter to the ministry concerned to allocate 500 bundles of corrugate Iron (CI) sheets and Tk5 lakh although the local administration meanwhile distributed 15 metric ton rice among the victims.”
Kutubpur Union parisad Chairman Gaziur Rahman said at least 450 families were forced to relocate from their homes due to the erosion.
Rafiqul Islam, a local tea stall businessman in Rahodaho bazar area, said he will have to shift elsewhere from his house within few days owing to the serious erosion.
A school teacher named Enimul Bari echoed the thoughts of Rafiqul.
Confirming the displacement, Executive Engineer (Ex-n) of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) concerned Nurul Islam Sarker said the department has already taken necessary steps to protect the flood control main embankment.
“As part of the efforts, we have put 6,000 Geo-textile bags beneath the dyke in Rahodaho Bazar area but the situation is getting totally out of control,” Sarker continued.