People of the areas – Abhoynagar, Monirampur and Keshobpur upazilas – living in Dhaka at a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, Dhaka on Friday expressed their pains and frustrations as well as demanded immediate solution of the water logging problem due to sluice gate failure. It is known that different types of foodgrains, including all local varieties of paddy have already been destroyed in the area. Besides, fishes worth of Tk. 460 crore have been washed away from the ghers during the monsoon. Media report says, even educational institutes, yards, graveyards and crematories have remained water submersed almost permanently.
The problem of water-logging created in Bhabodah and adjacent areas is the result of mismanagement of water flow denying the rules of hydrography. When sluice gates are constructed to control the natural water flow of rivers and canals then siltation is unavoidable as side effect. If silts are not dredged out regularly then a time comes when doors of sluice gates become covered by silt making the whole process of controlling water flow ineffective. Hence water-logging has almost become the destiny of the people living in Bhabodah area. So, the only solution of water-logging at Bhabodah and adjacent areas is taking immediate steps for re-excavating the silted up rivers and canals in the district to restore their normal flow and keep the sluice gates functional.
