With drastic fall in the levels of their waters, the rivers and canals flowing through the district are being filled with silt and running dry putting agriculture and ecology here in jeopardy.
The rivers and canals are also losing navigability for emergence of char (shoals emerged from their beds) due to accumulation of silt hampering smooth movement of vessels on different routes in dry season.
Talking to UNB, M Mainuddin, executive director of Water Development Board (WDB), Bagerhat, said due to impact of climate change, water flow in the rivers of the district has declined and silt deposited up at the confluence of the sea.
He said the flow of water from the upstream has also declined in the rivers, adding that with further decline in water flow during ebb, the rivers’ beds are being filled up with sediments.
He mentioned that 11 rivers flowing through Bagerhat and 139 canals in the district have already lost navigability and turned into plain lands for silt deposition.
Local agriculture officials said the rivers cannot contain sufficient water due to deposition of silt in their beds, adding that millions of people become marooned during the rainy season while crops worth crores of taka get damaged due to water stagnation in crop fields as the rainwater cannot be drained out to the clogged-up rivers.
They said farmlands are being affected by saline water intrusion as salted water from the sea cannot recede from there swiftly, adding that as a result, fertility of the croplands is declining day by day.
Besides, in dry season, water flow in the rivers and canals reach low level suspending waterway communication on different routes.
At the same period, farmers cannot cultivate paddy for lack of water.
WDB officials said some 50 rivers and canals are gradually getting lost from the map of the district because of drying up of their beds.
Experts attributed the decrease in water containing capacity of the rivers to emergence of shoals in their beds.
They said water level in the Padma and its tributaries continues to recede due to Farakka barrage built by India in the upstream and added that a section of people are catching fish and cultivating shrimps in an unplanned way hindering water flow of the canals.
They mentioned that about 400 kilometre areas of different rivers and canals have already been filled up due to silt deposition.
According to the WDB office in the district, the rivers with their beds filled up for silt deposition are Daudkhali, Bishna, Putimari, Atharobeki, Chitra, Bhairab, Bhola, Baleshwar, Kumarkhali, Kat Bhairab and old Pashur.
Sources concerned said the rivers have lost navigability due to lack of dredging works.
No rivers were dredged except the Bhola over the last 100 years, the sources added.
Besides, 139 small and big canals have dried up for lack of dredging.
WDB officials apprehend that Doratana, Madhumati and Panguchi rivers are likely to die down in next 20 years.
Contacted, deputy director of the Department of Environment in Bagerhat Sukumar Roy said due to the rivers and canals being filled up, coastal people have become more vulnerable to environmental disasters.
Besides, if the rivers and canals die down, the river communication will be suspended, agriculture will face difficulties and fish production will decline, he warned.
It will also hinder crop farming in dry season and create water-logging in rainy season, leaving negative impact on the country’s overall economy, said Sukumar.
Deputy Commissioner M Shukur Ali said they in no way allow activities hindering water flow in the canals, adding that upazila nirbahi officers (UNO) have been asked to take steps to restore water flow in the canals.
Directives were also given to the UNOs to take action against those who try to hinder water flow in the canals anyway, said the DC.
WDB executive director M Mainuddin said they have taken up a project to re-excavate 110 km area of 18 rivers and canals to bring back navigability in the water bodies.
