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Flood situation worsens in Kurigram
S DILIP ROY, Lalmonirhat
The ongoing flood situation in Kurigram has deteriorated further as the water levels of Brahmaputra, Dudhkumar, and Dharla rivers started rising again in 12 hours till yesterday morning.
According to Bangladesh Water Development Board sources, Brahmaputra’s water has risen by 10cm since Wednesday evening and was flowing 46cm above danger level at Chilmari Point yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, Dudhkumar was flowing 3cm and Dharla 10cm above danger level at Pateshwari and Bridge points respectively yesterday morning.
“Heavy rains and onrush of water from upstream in India caused the water level to rise again, deteriorating the flood situation,” said Rakibul Hasan, executive engineer of BWDB in Kurigram.
Suruj Ali, 65, of Hatia village under Kurigram’s Ulipur upazila, said, “After Brahmaputra’s water started receding, we hoped the situation would improve. However, the water has started rising again. We are living in an inhumane condition inside these polythene shanties on the BWDB embankment.”
Meanwhile, cattle farmers are having a hard time finding fodder for their animals, with vast stretches of pasture land inundated and stocked hay washed away in floodwater.
Around 15 lakh domestic animals have been affected by the flood, said Monakka Ali, district livestock officer in Kurigram.
Meanwhile, the ferry service at Kurigram’s Chilmari river-port is suspended as the ghat’s connecting road has been submerged.
At least 1,000 people use the ferry service daily to commute from Chilmari to Roumari, Char Rajibpur, Mymensingh, and Jamalpur. Now they have no alternative to using boats to cross the swelling Brahmaputra amid risk while also spending more money.
Prafulla Chauhan, manager of Chilmari Ghat of BIWTC, said the service will resume once the floodwaters recede and the ghat is renovated.
“This ferry ghat is a temporary one. A permanent ghat is under construction,” he added.
EROSION WORSENS IN LALMONIRHAT
In Lalmonirhat, even though the flood situation saw gradual improvement, the erosion of the Teesta has worsened, leaving riverbank residents with sleepless nights.
At least 15 houses, a mosque, and around 100 bighas of arable land have been devoured by the river in Gobardhan village under Aditmari upazila since Saturday, while around 50 more homesteads and several hundred bighas of arable land are at risk of erosion, said Matiar Rahman Mati, a union parishad member.
A similar situation prevails in the Dawabari union where 110 homesteads, around 500 bighas of arable land, a government primary school and two mosques have been devoured in the last five days.
At least 300 houses, several hundred bighas of agricultural land and a community clinic are under threat of erosion.
“BWDB authorities took no steps in this regard. I have dumped 150 sand-filled geo-bags myself, but it is insufficient to stop the erosion,” said Mosaddek Hossain Chowdhury, chairman of the union parishad.
Mashiur Rahman, Dawabari Union Parishad chairman, echoed him.
Shunil Kumar, executive engineer of BWDB in Lalmonirhat, said steps will be taken in this regard.