Rising water levels in the Jamuna River and strong currents have triggered severe erosion in the Sakaria area of the Tangail–Tarakanndi regional highway, threatening the river protection embankment, the Bhuyapur–Tarakanndi road, nearby settlements, and business establishments.
Erosion began on a 25-metre section of the highway near the Jamuna River in Sakaria under Gopalpur Upazila on Sunday afternoon. Following the situation, authorities suspended all vehicle movement on the road. The disruption has forced vehicles to take alternative routes, causing significant inconvenience to commuters.
The Tangail Water Development Board (WDB) has started efforts to contain the erosion by placing geobags at the affected site.
Local residents said erosion has been affecting the area for around one and a half months. They claimed that early preventive measures could have helped avoid the current crisis. Residents warned that if the road collapses completely, communication links will be severely disrupted, affecting thousands of families.
As erosion intensified on Sunday afternoon, parts of the roadside began collapsing into the river. Earlier, locals attempted to slow the river current by placing large tree trunks into the water near the affected area as an immediate protective measure.
Local schoolteacher Moyna said effective river management is essential to prevent major changes in the Jamuna’s course in the future. She emphasized that a permanent embankment solution is needed to ensure the safety of both the road infrastructure and riverside communities.
Meanwhile, Water Development Board Executive Engineer Main Uddin said work to place geobags to control the erosion is ongoing.
