An embankment constructed to prevent river bank erosion by the residents of Khulna’s Koyra upazila has collapsed again due to increased water pressure.
Locals fear that vast areas of the upazila will be inundated by high tides of the Kopotakkho river if the embankment in the Charamukha is not repaired soon.
According to Masud Rana, local Union Parishad member, 200 meters of the embankment along the Charamukha canal in Vedkashi union have already collapsed, leaving some 15,000 people in 10 villages stranded.
Besides, different species of fish, including shrimp, were swept away, he said.
M Mashiul Abedin, sub-assistant engineer of Satkhira Water Development Board, said that some 2,000 people, including his men and local residents, are working to repair the broken embankment.
“Even before we were able to complete reconstructing the embankment, it collapsed again,” he added.
The Water Development Board has provided some sacks and bamboo for this work, he said, adding that the work at the main point will start soon.
On July 16, the civilians of Koyra upazila started working to construct their broken embankment.
Two days later, around 3,000 people of South Bedkashi union were able to build the broken 300-meter embankment on their own. However, even after a month, the board did not take any initiative in the issue.
According to an official document, in the last 10 years, more than Tk1,42,58,08,000 has been spent on the construction purpose of the roads in Koyra upazila. But the general people of this upazila did not witness any improvement.
A member of Koyra development committee Imtiaz Uddin said: “The same embankment has collpased twice, which is a matter of great despair”.
He blamed the concerned authority for not spending the shown money in constructing the embankment.
