At least 200 families lost their homes and arable lands in 10 villages of Gaibandha’s Saghata upazila in the last two weeks as water levels in the Jamuna River rose because of rains, causing erosion.
The villages include Gobindi, Munshirhat, Sathalia, Kamarpara and Banshhata.
There are also at least a thousand families who are fearing destruction as they live close to the river.
Apart from houses, erosion has also destroyed a mosque, a primary school, a temple, a field and many key structures.
Omar Hossain of Gobindi village said yesterday this was the second time he had been the victim of erosion this year.
He said the Water Development Board’s local office floated a tender for placing GOB sacks from Kamarpara to Gobindi but the contractor was yet to begin work.
Saghata union parishad Chairman Mosharraf Hossain Sweet blamed Water Development Board for the delay in starting the work.
“We have received funds but Water Development Board officials are yet to take action,” he said.
Chandra Sekhar, sub-assistant engineer of Water Development Board’s Gaibandha office, said Tk1.16 crore had been earmarked for the project aimed at preventing erosion in a 100m area. He said the project would be initiated soon.
