Kurigram: River erosion has intensified at 33 points along the Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dharla, and Dudhkumar rivers in Kurigram district, affecting thousands of people and devouring hundreds of houses and vast areas of agricultural land over the past two months. The worst-affected upazilas include Kurigram Sadar, Nageshwari, Roumari, Ulipur, and Rajarhat, where residents have been forced to seek shelter on embankments, roadsides, and government shelter centres.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Water Development Board (WDB) has taken emergency measures to mitigate further erosion, said Md. Rakibul Hasan, Executive Engineer of the Kurigram WDB. Erosion is occurring at 33 separate locations, covering a combined area of approximately 4.3 kilometers. The board has already started dumping 250-kg sand-filled geo bags at the erosion-prone spots on an urgent basis.
The river erosion affected areas include Rajibpur upazila with 365m at Habiganj Bazar, 370m at Sonapur, and several other locations spanning significant distances. In Kurigram Sadar upazila, the erosion has affected 35m at Char Newazi and 280m at Kodalkati, among others.
In Ulipur upazila, locations such as 105m adjacent to Nurunnahar School have been affected, while Rajarhat upazila has seen erosion at 220m at Dariyarpar. Nageshwari upazila is experiencing erosion at 111m at Madarganj and several other points.
Other locations affected include Sardob and Dari Kishorepur, with various spots along the Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers also suffering. Local residents expressed deep concern and despair as their homes and ancestral lands vanished into the rivers.
Nur Nabi, a resident of Char Gorkomandop in Naodanga Union under Phulbari upazila, shared his distress over losing homes and cropland. Saleka Begum from the same village recounted the emotional impact of losing her parents’ graves to the river. Abdul Gafur, Chairman of Jatrapur Union Parishad under Sadar upazila, reported the loss of around 100 houses in Baniapara and Sabujpara due to erosion.
Md. Abul Kalam Azad, former chairman of Bidyananda Union in Rajarhat upazila, noted the displacement caused by the Teesta River’s erosion. Professor Shafiqul Islam Bebu, convener of the Kurigram District Char Development Committee, explained that the formation of chars due to silt and sand from upstream India alters water flow and accelerates erosion.
WDB Executive Engineer Rakibul Hasan added that efforts are ongoing with the deployment of geo bags and other resources to protect the most vulnerable points.