Residents of Sanandabari in Dewanganj upazila of Jamalpur are grappling with severe and unexpected erosion along the Brahmaputra River.
Continuous rainfall over the past few days, coupled with water from upstream, has caused a 1.5-kilometre stretch of the riverbank to crumble.
Hundreds of acres of land have been engulfed by the river, with several villages facing the threat of disappearance. Attempts by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) to prevent the collapse using geo bags have proven futile as the bags are now floating away along with erosion.
Frustrated residents are demanding immediate and permanent measures to address the crisis.
In Char Amkhawa Union's Ward No 2, Patadhoa Para, and Ward No 5 West Para, large stretches of farmlands and numerous houses have been washed away within days. Approximately 50-60 families have lost their homes, and Kholabari Tupkar Char is on the brink of vanishing.
Local residents, including Rafiqul Islam, Chorhab Uddin and Barek Mia of Patadhoa Para, expressed their desperation, highlighting their urgent need for government assistance. They are demanding the construction of a permanent embankment to safeguard their homes.
Although the BWDB previously had placed 13,000 geo bags over a 160-metre area, the attempt failed as 20 metres of geo bags were swept away by the river.
Md Ziaul Islam, chairman of Char Amkhawa UP, stressed the urgency of constructing a permanent dyke and criticized the failure of the previous geo bag initiative.
Promising prompt action, Dewanganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kamrunnahar Shefa said necessary steps would be taken in response to the crisis.
BWDB Deputy Assistant Engineer Md Shafiqul Islal mentioned that a proposal for the construction of a permanent dam had been sent to the ministry concerned, expressing hope that the issue would be resolved soon.