In a sudden increase, the erosion of Kirtankhola River, which started from Friday afternoon, has submerged about 300 feet of the eastern bank at Charkawa union under Barisal River Port Police Station.
Locals said the eroded land on the opposite side of Barisal port included 13 establishments.
Saturday morning locals formed a human chain in the affected area demanding immediate steps for checking the erosion.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shamima Ferdous and Deputy Commissioner of Barisal Shohidul Alam visited the affected area. Charkawa bus-stand and ferry pontoons were shifted to another place in the morning.
Road communication between Mongla-Chittagong ports via Barisal Bhola Laxmipur may be disrupted at any moment as the erosion is rapidly advancing towards that highway, said Nurul Islam, president of Charkawa Bus Owners Association.
This correspondent found that 12 shops and a house had been washed away by Kirtankhola on Friday.
At least 40 other establishments including shops, houses and different institutions risk being eroding away at any moment, said Nurul Islam, a local UP member.
Manirul Islam Chhobi, chairman of Charkawa union parishad, said river erosion has been frequent in this area since 1995, but the government has never taken any effective steps to control the problem.
Abul Hasanat Nurullah, principal of a local madrasa, said they were trying to remove furniture and electric equipment, and plan to shift the mosque and houses risk being eroded.
Deputy Commissioner Shohidul Alam assured the affected people of his support in their rehabilitation process and contacted Water Development Board (WDB) officials asking them to take immediate steps to check the erosion.
Executive Engineer Zahiruddin of the Water Development Board Barisal office said he had sent officials to visit the spot.
The engineer admitted that the board had no long-term solutions for the erosion.
“In every season the erosion takes place at new spots, making all our protection efforts futile,” he said.
“Implementation of a long term sustainable river management policy is needed to control the erosion. The WDB will start temporary work to check the erosion very soon,” he added.
