People of Chandpur town and adjacent areas have demanded taking permanent steps to save the century-old river port from erosion by turbulent Meghna.

At a meeting organised by local River Erosion Resistance Action Committee at West Jafrabad village on the outskirts of Chandpur town, speakers said the government should take adequate steps to save already threatened Chandpur and its adjacent areas from further erosion.

Earlier on different occasions, steps were taken to save the town and river port but they proved too inadequate and short-termed to give any permanent solution to the problem, they said.

River erosion should be declared a national problem, they added.

Abdullah Sarker, former lawmaker and a central leader of River Erosion Resistance Action Committee, Gono Forum district President advocate Selim Akbar, BNP district unit's Senior Vice President Abdul Hamid Master, Chandpur Bar President advocate Zahirul Islam and UP chairman Dulal Miji spoke on the occasion, among others. :

Billal Hossain, local president of the action committee, presided over the meeting.

Earlier River Erosion Resistance Action Committee organised a long human chain in the afternoon from Jafrabad to Horina Ghat with call to 'Save Chandpur permanently from erosion by the Meghna'.

Meanwhile, sudden erosion by River Meghna has virtually rendered over 400 families homeless in Sakhu and Ibrahimpur unions under Sadar upazila during the last five days.

These unions are on the outskirts of Chandpur town.

Erosion victims who have

already taken shelter at different places are leading sub-human life under the open sky, said Ibrahimpur UP Chairman Md Dulal Miji, who also has lost his house due to the erosion.

The worst affected villages are West Jafrabad, East Jafrabad,

Sakhua, East Sakhua, Ibrahimpur andBohoria.

During a visit to the affected area, this correspondent saw panicked villagers dismantling their houses as preparation to take whatever they can to safer places.