One of Bangladesh’s biggest, most recurring threats seems to have struck again.
The monsoon season kicked off with severe erosion along the banks of Padma this year. Now that the water is receding, further erosion is threatening people, their homes, and their livelihoods again.
Given our nation’s riverine nature and the challenges that come with the looming threat of climate change, Bangladesh has been suffering from more and more river erosion cases in recent years. This should have been the opportunity to properly study this phenomenon and take pro-active steps to minimize damages.
Unfortunately, this has not been the case.
According to Kushtia Water Development Board officials and locals, the River Padma has taken an invasive form in Bheramara Upazila, Khadimarpur, and many other places. A total of six kilometers in these areas have all but disappeared under water.
A lot of the man-made factors that contribute to river erosion -- such as the cutting down of trees and soil extraction -- have also been allowed to continue without any efforts to stop them. There are nationally mandated laws that designate such activities as illegal, but just like there is no proper implementation of prevention tactics, there is no proper administration of the laws that are supposed to stop these crimes as well.
We are essentially dealing with a race against time, and the clock is ticking.
With the rise in water levels in the surrounding oceans, there is going to be an effect on our rivers. If we don’t start properly taking care of them, river erosion will become an even bigger issue than it already is. We have already lost a huge portion of our land due to river erosion, and all the lives that have been lost are lives that could have been saved.
When it comes to river erosion, we have to do better. There is no other way.