A cluster village established for families displaced by the Rampal Thermal Power Plant is facing severe waterlogging, inadequate public services and barriers to education, with residents blaming poor infrastructure for deteriorating living conditions and an increase in child marriages.
Located at Kaigaddaskathi behind the power plant, the village is home to around 800 families, although only 142 households have received government-built houses.
Residents say an earthen embankment constructed around the village has trapped rainwater and household wastewater because no drainage system was built, leaving the area submerged for nearly nine months each year.
The prolonged waterlogging has created unhygienic conditions, with overflowing toilets and stagnant water contributing to widespread skin diseases, including rashes and itching among children and adults.
"We have nowhere for the water to go," said Rafiza Begum. "When it rains, the toilets overflow and we are forced to walk through dirty water."
Residents said they had previously lived on khas land before it was acquired for the power plant. Each family was later allocated 1.75 decimals of land on a nearby river char for rehabilitation. Initially, all lived in makeshift shelters before some received permanent houses under government housing programmes.
Parents say access to education has become one of the settlement's biggest challenges.
Although a primary school is located nearby, there is no secondary school within six kilometres, forcing students either to travel to Borni or cross the river to Chalna.
For many families, particularly those with daughters, the journey is considered unsafe and too costly.
"As parents, we worry about our daughters travelling such long distances," said Asiya Begum. "Transport costs are high and crossing the river is risky. Many families end up arranging marriages instead."
Residents claim at least 15 child marriages have taken place in the settlement over the past two years, citing poverty, insecurity and limited educational opportunities as key factors.
Residents also say healthcare remains difficult to access despite living close to the power plant.
According to them, reaching the hospital associated with the project requires travelling 15 to 16 kilometres because of poor road connectivity and limited transport services. As a result, many rely on the health centre across the river in Chalna.
Ershad Ali said families who lost land to the project have received few long-term economic benefits.
"Our land was acquired, but local people have not found jobs at the power plant," he said. "We are also facing an acute shortage of safe drinking water."
In neighbouring Kapasdanga village, resident Ila Devi said there are three primary schools within three kilometres but no nearby secondary school.
She said it costs around Tk50 a day for one student to travel to school, an expense many low-income families cannot afford.
"I can only send my daughter to school twice a week," she said.
Riya Mondal said girls travelling to the secondary school in Chalna often have to wade through knee-deep saline water during high tide before boarding a ferry.
"They attend classes in wet clothes after crossing the river," she said. "Many parents do not want to take that risk."
Rampal Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tamanna Ferdousi said child marriage could not be justified under any circumstances.
"The area may not have been under adequate monitoring," she said. "Necessary steps will be taken through the Department of Women's Affairs to strengthen monitoring and prevent child marriage."
Responding to complaints of waterlogging, the UNO said no formal complaint had previously reached the administration but added that the matter would be investigated through the relevant project officials and necessary measures taken if required.
