News Desk :
A protective embankment along the Jamuna River in Sirajganj’s Kazipur Upazila has started to erode away for the second time this year, triggering panic among residents.
The crisis that began on Wednesday has already affected 100 metres of land, said Haider Ali, deputy assistant engineer of the Sirajganj Water Development Board, reports bdnews24.com
“Locals had extracted sand from the riverbed next to the site and transported the materials over the CC block by truck during the dry season. As a result, the river’s course changed and the waters are now crashing against the embankments.”
The water level of the Jamuna receded over the last 15 days, intensifying tidal waves on the right side of the conservation site, according to the locals.
Around 80 metres of land was previously swallowed by the mighty river in May, leaving Dekuria Haat and Shaheed M Mansur Ali Ecopark in Kazipur at risk of erosion.
“Sand-filled geo bags will be placed on the eroded parts as soon as possible. The situation will improve once the renovation work starts,” said Safiqul Islam, executive engineer at Bangladesh Water Development Board, Sirajganj.
A portion of the protective embankment around Sirajganj town collapsed into the Jamuna as the river is swelling due to onrush of water. The embankment went under river water around.
Sirajganj’s Water Development Board Executive Engineer Shafiqul Islam said, they have started to put concrete blocks and Geo bags on the embankment so that it can be protected for now.
The district’s Deputy Commissioner Faruk Ahmed along with other officials visited the spot.
The 2.5-kilometre dam was built in 2001 to protect Sirajganj town from Jamuna river erosion.
As the water level recedes in Jamuna, the threat of erosion is increasing, they added.
The Water Development Board (WDB) started dumping sand bags to protect erosion, reports our Pabna correspondent. Kazipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jahid Hasan Siddiquee told our correspondent that the river takes a sharp turn at the Dhekuria area. Many people are shifting their homes to evade erosion.
“We have already shifted a family at the Eco park and the other victims too are taking shelter at the Eco park and adjacent places,” the UNO added.
KM Rafikul Islam, sub-divisional engineer of WDB in Sirajganj, said as the water level is receding, the high water pressure causes erosion.
“We have started dumping sand bags to prevent erosion.”
