OUR CORRESPONDENT, Mymensingh

The Kangsha River in Mymensingh’s Dhobaura upazila, once a key lifeline for local people, has long been gasping for survival.

The once-mighty river supported irrigation, fisheries, goods transportation and riverine communication with other areas of Mymensingh, Netrokona and neighbouring districts.

But years of siltation and grabbing by influential quarters have left the river on its deathbed, choking its natural flow and reducing it to a narrow channel amid vast sandy stretches during the dry season.

Locals alleged that vested groups have long been encroaching on the river and obstructing its flow for different purposes, including fish farming, while the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to the menace.

Like the Kangsha, other rivers in the upazila, including the Satar Khali, Ghaghatia, Taraboi, Sutia, Gudaira and Pachai, are also facing a similar plight.

“Earlier, the river provided water for irrigation round the year. Now it is barely clinging to life,” said Mahmud Hossain, a resident of Taraikandi village.

Zakirul Islam Talukdar, chairman of Goatola Union Parishad, said the river can no longer drain excess water during the monsoon due to siltation, often resulting in flash floods and damage to crops.

SM Abid Hossain, sub-divisional engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board in Mymensingh, said the river is located in a floodplain area, where onrush of upstream water brings in a huge amount of silt every season.

As such, dredging would not be sustainable in the river’s context, he said.

“We are considering expansion of the floodplain so that the floodwaters can spread to adjacent areas and reduce the extent of river erosion,” he added.

Dhobaura UNO Md Mosharraf Hossain said they are working on proposals for proper management of the rivers in the upazila.