Hundreds of farmers and local residents formed a human chain in Narsingdi Sadar Upazila on Thursday, demanding urgent measures to protect farmland from river erosion.
The demonstrators gathered along the banks of the Meghna River in Nazarpur, with participation from nearby char areas including Alipur and Baherchar. They called for immediate construction of an embankment to save agricultural land and settlements from further damage.
Speakers at the programme alleged that a lack of long-term planning has resulted in the erosion of thousands of bighas of cultivable land over the past few decades. This has left many farmers landless and forced them to abandon agriculture.
Aslam Fakir, a participant, said his family has already lost several bighas of land. “Within just over a decade, hundreds of farmers have been compelled to leave agriculture,” he said.
Another farmer, Barek, claimed that nearly a thousand bighas have been lost. “Our croplands are now part of the river, while new chars have emerged across it where others have settled,” he said.
Iqbal Bakshi added that crop production has fallen sharply, with cultivation reduced to nearly one-third. He said many are struggling to survive.
The protesters urged authorities to act immediately to prevent further losses.