The massive Padma River has become aggressive.
At the beginning of the monsoon, severe erosion occurred in several areas of the district. But now that the water is receding, new erosion threatens croplands, houses, educational and religious institutions in six upazilas as well as the Kushtia-Ishwardi Highway.
Geo bags have been thrown along the river banks to prevent erosion, but there is no result in such temporary solutions.
According to Kushtia Water Development Board officials and locals, the Padma has taken an invasive form in Bahirchar, Moslempur and Tiktikitara of Bheramara Upazila and Khadimarpur and Munsipara areas of Mirpur Upazila. A large area of cropland, covering six kilometers in these areas, has disappeared under the river.
Apart from Bheramara and Mirpur, the Padma has battered homes and paddy fields in Udayanagar area under Chilmari Union, Shilaidaha. Kaya unions of Kumarkhali Upazila and Raita of Bheramara Upazila have been affected by erosion.
Local residents have repeatedly been demanding proper steps to save their livelihood, but it did not bring about any results. The authorities have used geo bags as temporary arrangements to prevent erosion.
Dhaka TribuneRashedur Rahman, executive engineer of Kushtia WDB, said the authorities had undertaken a project to prevent the erosion of about 13 kilometers around the Padma from Talbaria area of Mirpur Upazila to Moslempur in Bheramara and Shilaidah Union of Kumarkhali.
The project will need Tk2,000 crore. “If the project is implemented, it will be possible to prevent erosion permanently,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
Nazim Uddin Pramanik, a resident of Munshipara area of Mirpur, said that his family had survived by farming on the river bank. But the Padma has taken away that cropland. “Now I am helpless. My house is also under threat.”
Nizam Uddin Munshi of the same area said he was extremely afraid. There were banana and rice plantations on his land, but they have disappeared into the river. “My house is also under threat.”
Sixty-four-year-old Mala Khatun said: “My small piece of land has gone into the river, and now my home is under threat. We are spending every night in fear.”
Ravi Kumar Das of Mirpur said that his cropland had been swallowed by the river. Now the cremation ground of the Hindu community could vanish anytime.
