Teesta devours houses, leaves Kurigram residents in dire straits
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Houses of four families were washed away on Thursday
Residents along the banks of the Teesta River in Kurigram are enduring severe hardships as the erosion is consuming their land and homes.
The locals of the district’s Rajarhat upazila, who are mostly farmers and labourers, cannot afford to relocate and settle elsewhere.
Milon, a farmer and a resident of Bidyananda Union of the upazila said that for the past week, the Teesta River has been eroding areas such as Kalirhat Bazar, Sonar Jumma, and Moulvipara in Chatura Mouza of Ward No 2.
People are trying to save their belongings and houses, but many have failed. If the erosion is not stopped, hundreds of families will become homeless, he said.
After visiting Bidyananda Union, it was evident that the Teesta River, flowing at full capacity, has devoured several houses, establishments, and farmlands.
Another farmer Hafizar and a shopkeeper Tajul said the Teesta devoured the houses of four families on Thursday.
“Four years ago, I lost a few acres of land. Just three days ago, 40 decimals of land, including jute fields near my homestead, were washed away. The river's water is now very close to my home. We are in a terrible situation. I cannot even talk properly. My shop is on one side, my house on the other. Nothing can be saved,” said Tajul.
He then urged the government to urgently dump geo bags to protect the property of the people living along the coast.
Hafizar said he has lost his home due to erosion thrice in the last few years. “How much should I have to tolerate? It would be helpful to throw some geo bags. I do not see a way to survive.”
Sefarul Islam, a member of Ward No 2 in Bidyanondo Union, said families are evacuating their settlements one after another due to Teesta erosion. Kalirhat Government Primary School is now under threat.
He said the local lawmaker and officials of the Water Development Board (WDB) visited the erosion site on Thursday. “They promised to take action.”
Kurigram-2 MP Hamidul Haque Khandker said: “I have visited the erosion area. The State Minister for Water Resources was shown the situation via video call, and he authorized emergency defense work. The Water Development Board will now take measures to quickly dump geo bags."
Rakibul Hasan, executive engineer of the Kurigram Water Development Board, said, "Teesta erosion is ongoing, with the most severe erosion occurring downstream of Bidyananda's Kalirhat Bazar. After informing the state minister, defence work was approved. We will initially dump geo bags across 200 metres, starting in a day or two."