Severe riverbank erosion along the Chhoto Feni River has triggered widespread alarm across Companiganj, Daganbhuiyan, and Sonagazi upazilas, where farmland, homesteads, and vital infrastructure are vanishing at an alarming rate.
Key regulators at Muchapur and Kazirhat have already been swallowed, and locals fear entire villages may soon disappear.
Residents estimate that over 41,000 hectares of farmland have already been lost, with another 30,000 hectares at imminent risk.
Homes, markets, mosques, and major roads are teetering on the edge, as cracks appear in buildings and roads collapse under pressure.
On September 15, more than a hundred villagers from Badarpur in Sonagazi’s Chormojlishpur union formed a human chain outside the Feni Water Development Board office, demanding immediate action to protect their land and homes.
Despite a contractor being stationed in the area for weeks, locals claim no protective work—such as geo bag placement—has begun, blaming delays and inaction.
The worst-hit areas include North Char Darbesh, Char Sahavikhari, Char Injiman, Taltoli, Tellargat, and Italy Market in Sonagazi; Jelepara, Kuthirhat, Katakhila, Aurarkhil, and Kazirhat Sluice Gate in Bogdana; and Muchapur, East Char Hazari, and East Char Parbati in Companiganj.
In Daganbhuiyan, Bhashashahid Salam Nagar has suffered significant damage.
Hundreds of cement and semi-cement houses have already been washed away.
Villagers report losing homes, trees, and gardens overnight, with many dismantling what remains and relocating to temporary shelters.
Makeshift barriers using bamboo and sandbags have proven ineffective against the advancing river.
“The river has taken away our home,” said Monowara from Badarpur.
Md Sentu Mia added: “Hundreds have become homeless in just two months. We are helpless, and no one seems to be paying attention.”
Kamal Uddin from Char Gopalgaon described how the river’s current has intensified since recent floods, cutting into the banks for up to three kilometres.
“Half of this village is already gone,” he said.
Others echoed the urgency, warning that without swift intervention, more homes will vanish within weeks.
Md Akter Hossain Majumder, executive engineer of the Feni Water Development Board, confirmed that erosion from the Chhoto Feni, Feni, and Kalidas Pahalia rivers is affecting 13 kilometres of riverbank.
He cited the newly approved Tk171-crore “Be Strong” project, funded by the World Bank, which aims to reinforce vulnerable banks and begin work soon.
Majumder also noted that Tk17.75 crore in repair work has been completed at 116 locations in the 2024–25 fiscal year.
The Muchapur regulator, destroyed in last year’s flood, will be rebuilt under a separate government initiative.
Despite the devastation, villagers remain hopeful that these measures—if implemented without delay—will help restore safety and prevent further loss.