Erosion by the Jamuna River has taken a serious turn in Sonatala upazila of Bogra, putting Purba Sujaitpur village in Pakulya union at risk of being wiped off the map.
Without immediate erosion-control measures during the dry season, nearly 5,000 residents face the threat of losing their homes to the river within a short period. A government primary school, a flood shelter, and a madrasa are also facing erosion threats.
Locals are now living under constant anxiety. Villagers formed a human chain along the riverbank on Tuesday, demanding urgent steps to halt the erosion.
Purba Sujaitpur is located approximately 15 kilometers east of Sonatala upazila headquarters. The village was once about 3.5 kilometers away from the Jamuna River, but the river has now reached the residential area due to continuous erosion. Villagers fear that rising water levels will accelerate the destruction.
The village hosts a government primary school, a madrasa, a central Jame Mosque, a market, a charitable clinic, and a flood shelter.
Local residents, including Ruli Beowa, Rokeya Begum, Aleda Beowa, Zobeda Begum, Ashadul Haque Pramanik, Abdul Zobbar Mondol, Mozzaffar Hossain, Rafiqul Islam, Pakulya Union Krishok Dal Secretary Manik Kazi, and former UP member Abdul Karim Shahin, expressed deep concern, saying that they can’t sleep at night due to fear of river erosion. They said, “Our homes could vanish into the river at any moment. Where would we go with our children?”
They added that the river, once 3.5 kilometers away, has now reached their doorsteps, and a rise in water levels could completely erase the village, along with its educational and social institutions. Immediate measures are necessary to save Purba Sujaitpur from erosion.
Jahangir Alam, headteacher of Purba Sujaitpur Government Primary School, said the institution was established in 1930 and is now on the verge of being swallowed by the river. “Despite multiple appeals to the authorities, no effective step has been taken. The school may soon disappear into the Jamuna,” he warned.
Ashadul Haque, SO of Bogra Water Development Board, said initial steps to curb the erosion have begun, with personnel sent to the site to prepare a report for ministry approval.
Kazi Rafiqul Islam, MP for Bogra-1 (Sariakandi-Sonatala), said the authorities have been instructed to take immediate steps to prevent further riverbank erosion.
