Nearly 200,000 people in Koyra upazila of Khulna are living under the threat of flooding as erosion threatens several sections of ageing river embankments.
Severe erosion has been reported near Kobadak Station and in Mathbari, while several other sections along the Kopotakkho and Shakbaria rivers remain vulnerable to strong currents and tidal surges, residents and officials said.
The embankments protect large parts of Koyra, an area surrounded by major rivers and frequently exposed to cyclones, tidal surges and saline-water intrusion.
Residents say they face the same threat almost every year because the embankments are repeatedly repaired after breaches instead of being replaced with stronger, permanent structures.
“Just as we recover from one breach and rebuild our homes, another breach destroys everything,” said Bhabsindhu Mondal, a resident of Mathbari village.
“When saline water enters the area, trees die and mud houses collapse. We also struggle to save our cattle and other livestock,” he said.
The Water Development Board (WDB) maintains about 130km of flood-control embankments in Koyra. Most of them were built in the 1960s and have not undergone major rehabilitation, according to local officials and residents.
Cyclone Aila, which struck the region in 2009, caused extensive damage to the embankments. The damaged sections were repaired about three years later, but no comprehensive programme to construct permanent embankments followed.
Several vulnerable sections are located under Polders 13/14-1 and 13/14-2.
In July, the embankment near Kobadak Station in Golkhali of South Bedkashi Union came under severe pressure. Emergency work helped prevent a major breach, but residents fear the section could become dangerous again without a permanent solution.
Other vulnerable points have been identified in North Bedkashi and South Bedkashi, particularly along the Kopotakkho and Shakbaria rivers.
The embankment at Mathbari village in Maharajpur Union is also in critical condition, residents said.
Monirul Islam, a resident of Loka village, said repair work was taking place along the Kopotakkho River, but erosion continued to eat away at the embankment.
“Much of the area's agricultural land has already been lost to the river,” he said.
WDB officials said shrimp farming along some sections of the embankments was contributing to erosion.
According to officials, pipes are sometimes installed by cutting through embankments to move water into and out of shrimp enclosures. This weakens the structures and makes them more susceptible to erosion.
Residents, however, say stronger and more durable embankments are needed to protect communities from increasingly frequent erosion and tidal surges.
Harendranath Sarker, a member of Ward 9 of Koyra Sadar Union Parishad, said cracks had appeared near the Goriabari launch terminal along the Shakbaria River.
“If emergency measures are not taken, the embankment could disappear into the river,” he said. He also called for erosion-prevention work near a Durga temple in the area.
Former Koyra Upazila Parishad vice-chairman Advocate A Rashid said many embankments had become too low to withstand tidal surges.
“Water now overflows into settlements during high tides because the embankments have not been raised or reinforced for a long time,” he said.
He identified embankments at Dashhalia, Gilabari, No. 4 Koyra, Mathbari, Katkata, Sardarghat and Tetultala as particularly vulnerable.
Mashiul Abedin, section officer of the WDB's Amadi section in Koyra, said some vulnerable sections had already been repaired and were now considered relatively safe.
“Koyra is surrounded by several major rivers, and some sections of the embankments remain vulnerable. We have informed the higher authorities about those areas,” he said.
Shahnewaz, executive engineer of the WDB's Satkhira Zone, said repair work was underway at some vulnerable points.
“Contractors have been appointed to repair the remaining vulnerable sections, and work is ongoing,” he said.
“If an emergency arises, immediate measures will be taken through the contractors,” he added.