A good number of people in Gaibandha and Jamalpur have been facing tough time as the unusual riverbank erosion is yet to see the end despite the improved flood situation.
In Gainbandha, above 1000 families living on the bank of the Karatua, Teesta, Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers have been passing their days amid great uncertainty as riverbank erosion gets a momentum despite improving the flood state, reports our correspndent.
Earlier, the homesteads of 35 families in Kamarpara village in Phulchhari upazila and 10 families in Gubindi village in Saghata upazila vanished into riverbed of the rivers, pushing them to take shelter under open sky.
While visiting yesterday, the correspondent found the families along their belongings as well as their cattle have been miserably staying on the river protection banks. Severe drinking water, foods as well as fodder crisis also appeared there.
Riverbank erosion victims twice in one year named Hossain Ali and Jobaier Hossain from Gubindi village blamed the assigned contractor for not starting the task in time.
On the contrary, Saghata UP Chairman Mosarraf Hossain Sweet blamed the board for not taking steps despite having necessary allocation in the sector.
When contacted, Atikur Rahman, chief engineer (northern Rangpur) of water development board, said initially there was an allocation of TK90 lakh to prevent the erosion and Tk2 cr more has been kept for the emergency fund in this regard.
Our Jamalpur correspondent says more than 100 families have been victim of the Jamuna riverbank erosion in Belgacha union of Islampur upazila for last 15 days.
The erosion stretched for about 5m in the upazila, keeping the people living on the bank amid great uncertainty as no halt appears in it despite improving the flood state.
Besides, famous Futail Bazar there faces on the verge of extinction as several yards vanished into riverbed last week.
Although the local water development board has started felling sacks filled with sand on the erosion-prone bank with a cost of Tk1.58 lakh, the move failed to pull the dwellers from the tension.
Local businessmen named Barek, Kasim, Bimal, Niranjan, Debnath, Gias and Helal alleged the authorities concerned have been felling jute sacks filled with sand in lieu of geo-textile ones as the item is prone to rot, leaving no results in fact.
Jamalpur Water Development Executive Engineer Nabo Kumar Chowdhury said a Tk207cr projects awaits permission to halt the Islampur erosion permanently.
About the allegation, the engineer said the jute sacks felling was just going on to check the unusual erosion initially.
