Hundreds of riverside residents in Islampur upazila of Jamalpur are facing growing uncertainty as severe erosion along the Dashani River, a distributary of the Brahmaputra, continues to swallow homes, cropland, roads and other rural infrastructure.
The strong current has accelerated riverbank erosion in recent days, forcing many families to live in fear of losing their homes. A local market and an educational institution have also come under imminent threat as the river continues to devour the embankment.
A visit to the affected villages found residents living in constant anxiety as deep cracks have appeared along the riverbank, raising fears that large sections of land could collapse into the river at any time. Productive farmland—the primary source of income for many households—is disappearing day by day.
Farmer Rois Uddin said most of his agricultural land, along with his standing jute crop, had already been washed away. "I own only a few bighas of land, and most of it has been lost to the river. Now my house is also at risk. I don't know where my family and I will find shelter," he said.
Swarna Begum, the elderly widow of late Sharafat Ali, said the worsening erosion has left her unable to sleep at night. "I have nowhere to go. My husband is no longer alive, and I live in constant fear with my children," she said.
Local schoolteacher Md. Belayet Hossain warned that if the erosion continues unchecked, nearby homes, educational institutions and the local market could all be swallowed by the river. "Immediate protective measures are essential. Otherwise, the damage will be irreversible," he said.
Residents, including Md. Sekandar Ali, Shafizal Haque and Sabbir Wahed, said the Dashani River causes extensive erosion every monsoon, yet no permanent riverbank protection has been implemented. As a result, new areas are being lost to the river each year.
The Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) said the administration has inspected the affected areas and informed the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) about the situation.
Nakibuzzaman, Executive Engineer of the Jamalpur BWDB, said officials are closely monitoring the erosion and have reported the situation to higher authorities. "Necessary emergency measures will be taken as soon as we receive directives," he said.
Residents have called for the immediate placement of geo-bags at vulnerable points to slow the erosion, warning that without urgent intervention, many more families could lose their homes and farmland during the ongoing monsoon season. They also urged the government to undertake a permanent riverbank protection project to safeguard the area from recurring erosion.
