Erosion by the Jamuna River continues to threaten homes, agricultural land, and communities in Sonatala upazila of Bogra, prompting local residents to demand permanent measures to protect the riverbanks.
The authorities concerned are currently placing geo-bags along vulnerable sections of the mighty river to curb erosion. However, residents say the number of bags is insufficient compared to the scale of the problem.
According to local sources, riverbank erosion in Sonatala upazila has persisted for nearly 25 years. Every monsoon season, the authorities undertake temporary protection efforts by placing geo-bags and concrete blocks, but no long-term solution has been implemented yet. As a result, hundreds of houses, trees, and acres of farmland are swallowed by the river each year.
The continuous erosion is threatening the existence of several localities, including Khabulia, Jontiarpara, Daudiarpara, Sorolia, Mohabboterpara, Bhikoner Para, Khatiyamari, and East Sujaitpur, which residents fear may eventually disappear from the map.
Locals said that successive governments have promised permanent riverbank protection projects whenever they came to power, but those commitments have never materialized. They argue that the limited deployment of geo-bags during the rainy season has done little to prevent further erosion.
Residents Rahima Begum, 90, Isharat Akand, 75, and Firoza Begum, 95, said they have witnessed their ancestral homesteads being devoured by the river. They added that even the graves of their forefathers have vanished without a trace.
If this river erosion continues year after year, vast areas and entire communities may eventually disappear from the map, they warned.
Speaking on the issue, Mahmud Hasan, Executive Engineer of Bogra Water Development Board, said that geo-bags are being placed at several erosion-prone locations to reduce the immediate impact of the river’s encroachment. He added that plans are being developed for a permanent erosion control project.
Kazi Rafiqul Islam, Member of Parliament from Bogra-1 (Sariakandi–Sonatala) constituency, has recently visited the river erosion-hit areas and assured the riverside residents that effective long-term measures would be taken to address the erosion problem.
