The erosion of Madhumati river has taken a severe turn in Magura and Jhenidah districts, engulfing roads, crop lands and homesteads.

In Jhenidah, several villages under Shailkupa upazila -- Charparia, Moheshpur, Gopalnagar, Harekrishnapur, Armajhi, Raoypur, Ruijani and Bholanathpur -- are fast disappearing from the map due to erosion.

More than two-kilometre stretch of land on the river bank has been lost to erosion already, while many houses, shops and establishments, and crop lands are at risk.

Panic is prevailing among the residents of Gopalnagar, Moheshpur, and Armajhi areas, where enough preventive measures have not been taken.

This correspondent visited the areas recently and found that erosion has reached the villages following rise in river water level.

A similar situation was observed in several villages under Mohammadpur upazila of Magura.

Baliadi UP chairman Mofizur Rahman said they informed Water Development Board about erosion situation but they are yet to do anything to this end.

Ramananda Paul, Mohammadpur upazila nirbahi officer, said they have informed the higher authority. "I have also directed the Project Implementation Officer to prepare a list of affected families," he added.

"To check erosion, we have built a 150-metre embankment at a cost of Tk 1.5 crore in Kashipur area, while geo bags were dumped on river bank in Harekrishnapur area last year," said Magura WDB executive Engineer Sarowar Jahan Sujon.