The three major rivers – the Jamuna, the Ganges and the Padma may grab around 2,695 hectares of land leaving 26,940 people landless and homeless this year.
A prediction report of Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) said 336 hectares of settlement are vulnerable to erosion along these three rivers.
The erosion prediction-2015 for the Jamuna, Ganges and Padma was released yesterday at a seminar at the BRAC Centre Inn in the city.
According to the prediction report, the Jamuna alone may grab 1,380 hectares of land leaving nearly 13,820 people landless and homeless. It said about 410 hectares of land are likely to be eroded by the Ganges and 905 hectares of land might be devoured by the Padma.
State Minister for Water Resources Muhammad Nazrul Islam Bir Protik, Professor Emeritus of BRAC University Professor Dr Anun Nishat, Executive Director of CEGIS Eng Md Waji Ullah, water experts, engineers and officials, among others, addressed the seminar with Water Resource Secretary Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan in the chair.
Deputy Executive Director of CEGIS Dr Maminul Haque Sarker presented the keynote paper titled “Is Sylhet basin sinking” while Senior Professional CEGIS Rifat Anwar presented the Riverbank Erosion Prediction-2015 at the seminar.
Nazrul said the government is going to launch a megaproject involving 1.7 billion US dollars for bank protection purposes of the Jamuna river from Bangabandhu Bridge to Kurigram of around 160 kilometres area.
“Jamuna is a very complex river in nature. That is why, people living along the river are the most sufferers due to river bank erosion,” he said, adding that after implementation of the project, people will get relief from river bank erosion.
Nazrul said the government is giving top priority to the construction of the Ganges barrage, which would ensure adequate water flows during the dry season and feed many rivers in southern Bangladesh during the winter and play an important role in controlling salinity.
One third of the country will be benefited from the Ganges barrage as it will enhance crop production, check salinity intrusion as well as help recharge water levels of groundwater in the southern region and Barind areas, he added.
The CEGIS sources said it has been carrying out riverbank erosion prediction report every year from 2004 with the support of different government and non- government organisations.
They said CEGIS made the forecast by using satellite images and GIS technology as well as history of erosion along the rivers.
