Hundreds of hectares of Boro cultivation is under threat due to water logging caused by illegal dam construction in four points of Pagla River in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj.
Farmers, who are largely dependent on Boro cultivation, fear to face a huge loss if the water does not recede soon. The stagnant water has also given rise to environmental pollution and health risks for the local people.
A recent visit to the four spots – Bahlabari, Fakirpara, Mahdipur and Tartipur – found concrete dams built across the river by filling it up with earth, bricks and trees.
The contractor of the dams built those without any permission of the upazila parishad.
Locals said owners of the sand mounds and brick fields on two sides of the river built the dams to transport their goods with complete disregard to the laws and consequences. Each transport is said to pay around Tk50 each way to cross over the river.
The Pagla River, coming from India through Shahbajpur union of Shibganj, flows through the Sadar upazila for 25 kilometres till Kalinagar. Due to the dams with narrow passage, water is not being able to travel causing the nearby areas to be flooded.
Mosharraf Hossain, an affected farmer from Gangarampur, said though he got a good yield last year, he could not cultivate Boro this year due to the flooding.
Monirul Islam of the same village said his two bigha land was underwater due to the illegal dam.
Meanwhile, Nazrul Islam of Durlavpur said he and his brothers could not cultivate Boro in their five bigha land. He further added that about 650 hectares of land – either with crops or ready for cultivation – may not be able to produce this year due to the water logging.
The stagnant water is also blamed for environmental pollution and health hazard for the residents of Gangarampur, Kalupur, Parkalpur, Mahdipur, Farikarpara and Tartipara.
Saidur Rahman, lecturer of Shibganj Degree College said local people were suffering from various skin diseases and diarrhoea after using the still water infested with germs. He further said that the Gangarampur fish sanctuary was also under threat because of flooding.
The contractor of Tartipur dam Sadiqul Islam said the dam was built for the convenience of local people. But he also admitted that the dam had no approval of the due authorities.
Though some locals said it was easy for them to cross the river over the dam, most of them said they could not protest the construction as the contractors were powerful people.
When contacted, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Syed Irtiza Hasan said the district agriculture officer had been asked to investigate the matter following complaints from several farmers. “We will take necessary measures if the investigation finds that the dams are causing any hindrance to Boro cultivation,” he added.
