PHOTO: STAR

MASUK HRIDOY, Brahmanbaria

The Kakoria river, stretching nine kilometres through Aruail and Pakshimul unions under Brahmanbaria’s Sarail upazila, was once a vital lifeline for the region’s people.

A tributary of the mighty Meghna, the river served as an important waterway for communication while supplying water to thousands of farmers for irrigation and providing livelihoods to local fishermen.

Now, however, Kakoria is a mere shadow of its former self.

Years of neglect and the absence of dredging have gradually transformed the river into a narrow, lifeless canal due to unchecked siltation. Its poor navigability has disrupted transportation, while the lack of natural flow has deprived farmers of irrigation water and taken away fishermen’s means of survival.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension in Sarail upazila, Boro paddy is cultivated across 1,840 hectares of land in Aruail and 2,290 hectares in Pakshimul. For decades, farmers depended on the Kakoria River to irrigate their fields, but in recent years, its flow has ceased due to siltation.

Now, the worsening situation has forced local farmers to extract groundwater using deep or shallow tube wells, significantly increasing their fuel costs and raising production expenses.

Locals have urged the authorities to take immediate steps to dredge the Kakoria River and restore its natural flow for the benefit of farmers.

Due to heavy siltation, Kakoria’s confluence with the Meghna has become narrower, severely affecting the water flow. As a result, hundreds of hectares of agricultural land across Boroichara, Rajapur, Kakoria, Charpara, Ranidiya, Paromanandpur, Shatbariya, and Haripur villages have been deprived of irrigation water, making Boro paddy cultivation increasingly difficult. Transporting goods has also become more expensive, as boats can no longer navigate the river.

Rahul Das, a fisherman from Ranidiya village, said the water level had dropped alarmingly low during the dry season, preventing them from casting their nets. This, he added, has severely impacted their livelihoods.

Locals expressed frustration over government inaction, pointing out

SEE PAGE 4 COL 1