Meghna–Dhonagoda embankment

50 holes detected, locals exposed to erosion, floods

More than 50 holes of different sizes have been detected in different parts of the 60-km-long Meghna–Dhonagoda embankment in different parts of Matlab Uttar upazila. This has put at least five lakh people inside the embankment in a precarious position.

Locals have alleged that the holes have appeared ‘due to the lack of regular repair and maintenance works’ by officials of the Meghna–Dhonagoda Project.

The upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), Sharmin Akter, has echoed their words.

Accompanied by local representatives, the UNO visited the entire Beribundh area on July 19. She detected these holes along the slopes of the embankment, which is located beside the Meghna river. These holes may make the whole bundh vulnerable, and it may cave in any time due to the  tremendous pressure of the onrush of floodwaters from the upstream of the Meghna.

Sharmin Akter expressed her worries on "seeing these tunnel-like holes".  

Some of these holes were spotted  from Sree Rayerchar Galimkha–Banglabazar areas up to the Kalipur  Beribundh area. Besides, such holes can be seen at Baganbari Union’s Dhonagoda, Taltoli, Rayerkandi, Nobipur, Lalpur, Gopalkandi, Durgapur and Beltoli areas.   

These holes, along the slopes of the bundh, may still become ‘bigger’ due to the incessant rain  and the onrush of floodwaters. Thus, the bundh, covering about 25 kilometres right from Shatnol up to Amirabad in the upazila, is under the threat of erosion and flash floods, the UNO told The Independent.

Contacted,  SM Ataur Rahman, former engineer of the Meghna–Dhonagoda Irrigation and Flood Control Project, expressed the same worries. "We're repairing and developing the bundh, wherever necessary," he said.  

He also said a project proposal to repair and renovate properly the 35-year-old bundh has been submitted to the authorities concerned. It is  presently under active consideration of the government, he added.

The Meghna–Dhonagoda embankment was built in the mid-80s to save the people of this region from the grips of floods and other natural calamities. It is  considered as one of the biggest embankments of the country.

 

 

Meghna–Dhonagoda embankment

50 holes detected, locals exposed to erosion, floods

More than 50 holes of different sizes have been detected in different parts of the 60-km-long MeghnaDhonagoda embankment in different parts of Matlab Uttar upazila. This has put at least five lakh people inside the embankment in a precarious position. Locals have alleged that the holes have appeared due to the lack of regular repair and maintenance works by officials of the MeghnaDhonagoda Project. The upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), Sharmin Akter, has echoed their words. Accompanied by local representatives, the UNO visited the entire Beribundh area on July 19. She detected these holes along the slopes of the embankment, which is located beside the Meghna river. These holes may make the whole bundh vulnerable, and it may cave in any time due to the tremendous pressure of the onrush of floodwaters from the upstream of the Meghna. Sharmin Akter expressed her worries on seeing these tunnel-like holes. Some of these holes were spotted from Sree Rayerchar GalimkhaBanglabazar areas up to the Kalipur Beribundh area. Besides, such holes can be seen at Baganbari Unions Dhonagoda, Taltoli, Rayerkandi, Nobipur, Lalpur, Gopalkandi, Durgapur and Beltoli areas. These holes, along the slopes of the bundh, may still become bigger due to the incessant rain and the onrush of floodwaters. Thus, the bundh, covering about 25 kilometres right from Shatnol up to Amirabad in the upazila, is under the threat of erosion and flash floods, the UNO told The Independent. Contacted, SM Ataur Rahman, former engineer of the MeghnaDhonagoda Irrigation and Flood Control Project, expressed the same worries. Were repairing and developing the bundh, wherever necessary, he said. He also said a project proposal to repair and renovate properly the 35-year-old bundh has been submitted to the authorities concerned. It is presently under active consideration of the government, he added. The MeghnaDhonagoda embankment was built in the mid-80s to save the people of this region from the grips of floods and other natural calamities. It is considered as one of the biggest embankments of the country.