The Jamuna river erosion has taken a turn for the worse, staking the main flood control embankment built along Chandonbaisha to Rahodaho of Shariakandi upazila in the district.
The erosion has already devoured a vast tract of cropland and homesteads in Kamalpur, Bohail, Chandonbaisha and Kutubpur unions and rendered thousands of people homeless.
The 1,200 metre flood control embankment on the river is now at risk.
Md Nurul Islam Sarker, executive engineer, Bangladesh Water Development Board in Bogra, admitted the fact.
He said the department had taken steps in right earnest to protect the embankment.
“We have dumped 6,000 geotextile Bags along with other materials in Rahodaho Bazar area to protect the flood control main embankment, but the situation is taking turn for the worse,” said Nurul.
Shariakandi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Zillur Rahman told this correspondent over the phone that at least 5,000 individuals of 1,000 families were rendered homeless in the last couple of weeks.
“We have sent a demand letter to the higher authorities concerned for the allocation of Tk5 lakh and 500 bundles of corrugated iron sheets to help rehabilitate the victims of erosion,” he said.
Meanwhile, the local administration distributed 15 tonnes of rice among the affected people, added the UNO.
Kutubpur Union Parishad Chairman Gaziur Rahman said at least 450 families had to flee to other areas to escape the erosion.
A tea stall owner Md Rafiquil Islam said he was contemplating moving elsewhere from Rahodaho Bazar area within a few days because of the erosion.
According to schoolteacher Md Enimul Bari, Nazu Tarafder, Lutfar Rahman, Hosain Ali and other Ghugumari villagers, the river erosion has put their lives at stake.
They called for immediate steps to protect their villages from being devoured by the Jamuna river.
