Rangpur: Teesta has returned to its old course after 25 years in the current monsoon season at Gangachara in Rangpur. As a result, thousands of families in seven villages have lost their homes and become destitute. As the erosion intensified, many are fleeing in search of safe places. Rangpur-Lalmonirhat district road communication system is under threat due to change in river course.
Although the water level in other parts of the Teesta has decreased, the water level in Gangachara has suddenly increased since Monday (August 10) night. As a result, the road from Rangpur to Kakina-Lalmonirhat has started to erode under the pressure of Teesta river water. The Jora Bridge and Burimari land port road from Rangpur to Kakina-Lalmonirhat have been damaged. The block pitching of the bridge has collapsed.
It is learned that Teesta has returned to its old course after 25 years after a road in Shankardaha village was destroyed by the ongoing floods. As a result, thousands of people living in seven villages including West Ichli, East Ichli, Kashiabari and Sankardaha have lost their lands and crops in the riverbed. But few days back people lived there. Now there is deep water.
The village of Sankardaha has been destroyed due to the erosion of several points this time. Hafezia Madrasa, Sankardahchar Government Primary School, Binbina paved roads have been washed away by the river. Homes, farmland and trees of more than 600 families have been washed away by the floods. Now two more villages are on the way to be devoured- East and West Ichli. Thousands of homeless people in Char have been threatened by the rising water level in the river.
According to the locals, the Burimari road including the connecting bridge is threatened by the rapid flow of water in the old route. If erosion cannot be prevented, bridges and roads will collapse at any time. This will cut off communication with Burimari land port. The Gangachara Sheikh Hasina road bridge also cannot be protected. For this, the locals are blaming the Water Development Board(WDB) for not doing the work and not constructing the embankment properly. They also demanded that such a situation would not have arisen if a 5 km long dam had been constructed from Sheikh Hasina Road Bridge to Binbina in Kolkonda Union via Shankardah and Ichli Char.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday (August 11) at noon, several thousand people formed human chain in the rain-soaked market of Esk demanding to take sustainable measures including construction of dams to prevent the erosion of the river Teesta. Former Acting Chairman of Kaliganj Upazila Parishad Taher Hossain Tahu, Laxitari UP Chairman Abdullah Al Hadi, Former UP Chairman Faisal Hossain Ashrafi, General Secretary of Union Awami League Golam Rabbani, UP Member Abdul Monnaf and others spoke on the occasion.
The speakers demanded immediate construction of the dam including dumping of 20,000 geo-bags to prevent erosion. At the same time, they drew the attention of inactiveness of Water Development Board. They demanded punishment of the responsible people for the ongoing irregularities and corruption behind the work.
On the other hand, in order to prevent river erosion and to protect roads and bridges, the Gangachara Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) is filling sand sacks and dumping it in the eroded areas, said Sub- Assistant Engineer Ibrahim Khalil.