River erosion has intensified along the Teesta and Dharla in Kurigram as floodwaters recede, destroying homes, farmland and protective structures installed by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), with dozens of families now at risk of displacement.
On Friday, parts of at least four households were washed away, while more than 50 families and large areas of agricultural land remain under threat, according to local residents and officials. Authorities have warned people living near vulnerable riverbanks to stay alert, move to safer shelters during active erosion, and avoid areas showing cracks.
Erosion began suddenly in the morning in Ramhari Mouza under Bidyananda Union in Rajarhat upazila, where homes belonging to three residents, including an autorickshaw driver and two farmers, were partially swept away as the Teesta riverbank collapsed. Geobags placed to protect the embankment, along with soil and farmland, were also washed into the river.
“The river was about 20 feet away from my house. The erosion started suddenly in the morning. Trees, farmland and the geobags were all swept away,” said farmer Ataul Haque. “I have already moved one house, but two more are at risk. Around 10 houses are still under threat.”
Residents said ongoing geobag dumping work has been too slow to respond to the rapidly changing river conditions, with thousands of bags still awaiting placement.
Similar erosion has been reported along the Dharla river in Char Gorakamondal village under Phulbari upazila, where at least four families have lost homes in the past five days. Nearly 50 more households, along with extensive cropland, remain at risk.
“I have been displaced five or six times because of river erosion,” said day labourer Majnu Sarkar. “Now it is happening again. I don’t know how I will survive with my family.”
His wife, Chanbanu, said the family lives in constant fear during the rainy season.
“When it rains, I cannot sleep. I am always afraid the river will take our house,” she said.
Local officials say many families have already been forced to leave their homes over the past year due to erosion, with more likely to be displaced unless urgent measures are taken.
BWDB Executive Engineer Rakibul Hasan said 2,000 geobags had been placed along the Teesta in Ramhari but could not withstand the intensity of erosion. He added that another 2,000 geobags had been placed in Gorakamondal, with 6,000 more allocated for each of the two affected sites. Contractors have been appointed and further protection work is expected to begin soon.
