Roaring Teesta

Erosion by the Teesta river after recession of floodwater has taken a serious turn in five villages under Rajarhat upazila of the district.

“I am shifting my house to a neighbour's land due to the erosion by the Teesta river. Another erosion victim is also shifting his house to the same land. Now we are facing shortage of food,” said Chandi Charan Barmon, 42, an erosion victim of Tayab Kha village of Bidyananda union.

Chandi's daughter Sohagi Rani Roy, an HSC student of Najimkhan School and College, said, “I have not been able to study for about one week, even though my test examination will be held in two months. Now my father cannot bear the expenditure of my education. I am afraid that I might have to suffer break of study without financial support.”

Bishnu Chandra Das, 45, a fisherman of Somnarayan village in Najimkhan union, said, “I have become landless as the river Teesta had eroded my land and house. I maintain my family through fishing. I recently bought 13 decimals of land, which is facing threat of erosion.”

Abdul Latif, 65, of Tayab Kha village said, “Erosion by the Teesta river washed away my three acres of land this month. Now I have shifted my house to another land. Most parts of Tayab Kha village went into the river this month.”

The erosion has already rendered over 200 families homeless this month and eroded hundreds of acres of land in Chatura, Paramaula, Ratee and Tayab Kha villages of Bidyananda union and Somnarayan village of Najimkhan union.

At least 68 families of Somnarayan village were made homeless this month, while over one hundred families are under threat, said Bishnu Chandra Das, 45, a fisherman and erosion victim .

“The upazila administration helped each of the 136 erosion-hit families with cash Tk 2,000 and 30 kg of rice or one maund of wheat in Bidyananda union recently,” Bidyananda Union Parishad Chairman Taijul Islam said.

Executive Engineer of Water Development Board in Kurigram Shafiqul Islam, said, “I visited the erosion spot on July 28. I sent a proposal for preventing erosion of a 700-metre area in Tayab Kha village, but I received only Tk 33 lakh in two instalments this year. Work is going on in a 400-metre area in Tayab Kha village with the allocated money. Bamboo pilings and sand-filled bags are washed away by the river due to strong current, making it difficult to protect the place.”

“I have sent a request for Tk 83 lakh more on emergency basis. If I get the allocation, I can start the rest of the work. But the protection will be on a temporary basis due to rainy season,” Shafiqul said.