The Crime Desk: With the decrease of Gomti water coming from the upstream of India, severe erosion has occurred in Chowdhury Kandi and Dilalpur areas of Muradnagar Upazila Sadar of Comilla District on the banks of the river. At least 20 families’ homes have already been reported washed away in the river. The Gomti River embankment with more than half a hundred families is in danger of erosion. The demand of the local residents is that if the erosion is not stopped now, important buildings, including some villages, will disappear under the river.
Going to the surface, it can be seen that the houses along the banks of the river in Chowdhury Kandi and Dilapur areas of Upazila Sadar are collapsing and disappearing into the river. At least 20 families including Anwar Hossain, Ripon Mia, Shahid Mia, Raju Mia, Saju Mia, Anich Mia, Sharif Mia, Shahinur Begum, Sakina Begum, Hashan Mia, Nurul Islam, Nayan Mia, and Haque Mia have lost their homes. Apart from this, various important structures, including graveyards, electric poles, poultry farms, and fish ponds, have disappeared under the river. At present, several other families on the banks of the river are keeping night vigil under the open sky due to the fear of river erosion. Many have demolished the only shelter from the settlement and taken it elsewhere. These helpless people are constantly in fear of collapse, sleeplessness, and hunger.
Anwar Hossain said, in the last 10 years, around 150 houses, including our residential house, have been destroyed due to the collapse of the Gomti River. There is no trace of the ancestral home now. Where I am now is also on the way to disappear. I am very worried about my family. We have informed this matter to all the governments. People’s representatives came and saw and assured to prevent river erosion. But nothing worked.
CNG driver Ripon Mia, who lost her house along with four houses of her four sons, said in a tearful voice, “It’s all over for me.” Where will I stay now with the children? I have no place to stay. If the government does not make arrangements to stay in America, then there is no option but to die.
Muradnagar UNO said in this regard. Sifat Uddin said that already a list has been sent to the officials of the Comilla Water Development Board identifying the most dangerous places on the banks of the river. With their cooperation, it will be possible to prevent river erosion by taking necessary measures.
Khan Mohammad Waliuzzaman, Executive Engineer of the Comilla Water Development Board, said, We have already made a list and sent it to the upper house. We don’t have our own budget on river erosion, so we can’t do anything on our own.
