Residents of Char Elahi and Mushapur unions of Companiganj upazila in Noakhali have long been suffering immensely due to severe erosion of Bamni river.

In absence of a dam or river protection embankment, the river has devoured croplands and numerous structures along 40-kilometre stretch of the riverbank in the two unions over the past 35 years, leaving thousands of people homeless and destitute.

Despite politicians making pledges time and again ahead of national elections on constructing necessary structures to prevent erosion, they never kept their pledge once elected.

On Tuesday, April 22, residents of Char Elahi union held a human chain programme in Char Kachchhpia area demanding installation of concrete blocks to curb Bamni river's erosion, construction of a closure dam and installation of a regulator on the river as more durable measures.

The speakers said a regulator was constructed in Char Elahi area and an alternative canal was dug to prevent erosion a few years ago. A closure dam was supposed to be constructed once the regulator was installed on that canal, but for unknown reasons, the dam has not been constructed yet. As a result, erosion on both sides of the canal has turned severe.

"Once I had three acres of cropland. All of it, including my homestead, has been lost to the river's womb. Now I am landless, earning a living as a sharecropper," said Md Sharif, 68, a resident of Char Langta village in the union.

Md Abdur Rashid, Md Jasim Uddin, Mariam Nesha, Shefali Begum, Omar Faruk, and several other erosion victims shared similar plights.

The speakers alleged that former minister and local lawmaker Obaidul Quader had pledged to build a dam while seeking votes ahead of past four national elections, but forgot about his promise after being elected.

Since Obaidul Quader is absconding, this correspondent could not contact him for his statement.

Md Halim Salehi, executive assistant at the Noakhali office of Bangladesh Water Development Board, said the feasibility study for a project to construct a closure dam on Bamni river has already been completed.

"We are working on to open the regulator soon. This will reduce river erosion," he added.