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Save Kuakata beach from erosion

People from all walks of life demand prime minister's intervention for action at human chain

Our Correspondent, Patuakhali
People of Kuakata yesterday demanded intervention by the prime minister for immediate action to protect Kuakata beach from erosion by tidal surge.
They made the demand at a human chain at Kuakata Zero Point.
Kuakata Municipality Mayor Abdul Bareq Mollah and Kuakata Press Club President Mizanur Rahman Bullet, among others, spoke at the programme.
Several hundred people, including businessmen, journalists, public representatives and tourists, took part in the programme.
The mayor said at least 20 letters
were sent to the departments and ministries concerned demanding steps to protect the beach from erosion, but in vain.
The beach is becoming smaller as cyclones, storms and tidal surges damage it badly every year, he said.
A 10-foot section of the beach at Zero Point, including a paved road, was washed away into the Bay in recent tidal surges, the mayor said.
Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners Association Secretary Motaleb Sharif said Kuakata, from where both sunrise and sunset can be seen, is under serious threat of being washed away.
Tourists become frustrated as there is no road for walking during high tide when the area becomes
flooded, he said. Many projects were undertaken, but there is no visible development, he said.
Shahjahan Akon, a resident of Paschim Kuakata area, said recent tidal surges badly damaged a vast area of the beach from Gongamati in the east to Majheebari area in the west, he said, adding that the dyke at Majheebari is about to collapse as most sandbags have been removed.
Md Mostafizur Rahman, owner of Hotel Kings on the beach, said he built the hotel about 30 years ago on 30 decimals of land when the sea was several hundred metres away. Till last year there were 14 decimals of land, but nine decimals were washed into the Bay this year, hesaid.
Md Belayet Hossain, a tourist from Barisai, said the beach used to be a very soothing spot with coconut garden, tamarisk garden, deep forest land and wide walk zone, but now it is bare.
Kalapara Circle Water Development Board Executive Engineer Abul Khayer said they have dumped about 800 sandbags on the beach to protect it from tidal surge. "We are trying to take up a project to build a protection dyke here," hesaid.
"We sent a special project proposal to the higher authorities seeking approval, but the planning ministry sent it back recently for another feasibility study," he added.